Something About You
by Strickens
Summary: Buffy gets a helping hand in unlocking her feelings for Willow. Work in progress. Currently 7 Chapters. Buffy/Willow, Faith/Dawn
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, despite wishing I did. :-) I borrowed them solely for the purpose of writing this fan fic for your entertainment and mine. :-)

About me: This is my first published work of fan fic, but I've been writing for a few years now. Any comments/critisism are more than welcom so please email me at: Willow realises she can't be with any other women when she has feelings for Buffy. A mysterious character, Andariel, gives Buffy a "heart-to-heart" about Buffy's inner feelings and desires for her red-haired Wiccan friend.

AN: I've revamped my fics a bit because I decided to change the setting. I had to change Sunnydale to California because of changing these stories to being set after season 7. So really the only change was from the name Sunnydale to California, sorry nothing major!

Willow was moping again.

She stared solemly and distantly out Buffy's loungeroom window, sighing every so often. It was a cold winter's day. Raining with the occasional thunder or lightning.

"She's been sitting there half the day." Dawn commented as she read a book and chewed gum.

"Well it is a rainy day." Xander replied. Just at that moment Buffy arrived home and took off her rain covered coat, hanging it on the coat rack to dry off.

"Hey guys." Buffy said as she entered the loungeroom.

"Hey Buffy." Xander replied. Dawn quietly went back to reading her book. Buffy saw Willow pining at the window again.

"Willow?" Buffy called out. Willow slowly turned to Buffy.

"What's up?" Buffy asked. Willow turned back to the window.

"Who cares." Willow said unemotionally.

"I see. Moping again." Buffy said.

"Not moping. Grieving." Willow corrected her, still staring.

"There's not much difference between the two. Look Willow, there's someone new I'd like you to meet." Buffy announced.

"Go way." Willow replied unenthusiastically. Buffy rolled her eyes.

"Come on in." Buffy called, and from the hallway, a beautiful girl stepped into the loungeroom. Willow looked up. Buffy never once saw Willow's eyes part from this girl.

"Hi, I'm Lynk, pleased to meet you Willow." Lynk said. She was about 5ft 6", medium length dark brown hair, blue eyes, great body.

"Hi." Willow said quietly, standing up and shaking Lynk's hand.

"I was thinking of renting some videos and getting some pizza. You in?" Lynk asked her.

"Oh I'm in alright." Willow said excitedly and started to leave with Lynk. Just as she was heading out the door, Buffy grabbed her by the arm.

"I think she's right up your alley Willow." Buffy told her.

"Don't worry, I've had heaps of experience with girl's up my alley." Willow replied excitedly before leaving. Buffy pulled a face, knowing that Willow had completely misinterpreted what she had said. Buffy closed the door.

"Yep. I thik this one's a winner." Buffy said as she entered the loungeroom.

Willow and Lynk got to Lynk place with the videos.  
They entered the house, together, Lynk clsoed the door behind them.  
"So this is your place huh? Nice." Willow commented.  
"Thanks." Lynk replied as they entered the loungeroom.  
Lynk put the video's down on the coffee table and took Willow by the arm. She pulled her to her.  
They engaged in kissing for several seconds before Willow broke free.  
"I haven't done this in a while." Willow said, breathing hard.  
"That's ok. I know what to do." Lynk said and kissed Willow again. Willow broke free again.  
"I don't think I'm ready." Willow continued.  
"You're more than ready. You just need a push in the right direction." Lynk said and covered Willow's mouth with her's. This time Willow had had enough.

Buffy was surprised to hear the front door open and a depressed looking Willow enter the door. She didn't say anything as she immediately headed upstairs.  
"Willow?" Buffy called out to her. When Willow didn't reply Buffy decided to go upstairs to check on her.  
Buffy traipsed up the stair case and knocked gently on Willow's door.  
"Come in." Willow replied quietly. Buffy opened the door. She saw Willow lying on her bed looking at a photograph of herself with Tara. Buffy knew that look.  
"Hey." Buffy said. Willow looked at her then back at her photo. Buffy closed the door behind her.  
Buffy swung her arms at her side slightly, standing by Willow's bed.  
"I wonder what it would have been like." Willow suddenly said, surprising Buffy.  
"Wonder what what had been like?" Buffy asked. She took a seat beside Willow. Willow was silent for a moment.  
"I wonder what it would have been like if the bullet never hit Tara, and that she was still alive today." Willow said. Buffy looked at Willow with dispair in her eyes.  
"I couldn't do it Buffy. For the first time a girl genuinely wanted me... but i just couldn't do it." Willow replied, sounding solemn. She sighed.  
"You pushed Lynk away?" Buffy asked. Willow nodded.  
"I left. I couldn't do it." Willow said.  
There was a quiet silence as Willow placed the photograph back onto her dresser and sat beside Buffy.  
"And I wonder...what would my life be like if I'd never met you?" Willow looked at Buffy. Buffy looked sincere.  
"Willow..." Buffy said and placed her warm hand on the girl's.  
"You know that no matter what... we would have found each other." Buffy told her. They both smiled. Willow grasped Buffy's hand with a need radiating from her that Buffy had never felt before.  
"I mean...I don't mean to go getting all mushy on you and stuff, but I just kinda like the feeling of having you around me and stuff, you know... being all slayery and stuff." Willow rambled slightly. Buffy smiled. She liked this side of Willow. It made her realise that in such a corrupt world that there was always people like her that made things seem so much better, just with a simple combination of words.  
"You know I'll always be there for you Will." Buffy told her. Willow looked at Buffy gratefully. Then her face turned more serious again.  
"uhh..umm...Buffy? Can I ask you something?" Willow asked.  
"Sure." Buffy replied.  
"Well...you know...umm...I was just wondering, you know, if you were gay...would you like someone like me?" Willow asked, unsure of herself. Buffy smiled.  
"You know Willow I think even if I wasn't gay I'd still like someone like you." Buffy looked across the room. "Oh wait...that works both ways huh?" Buffy goofed.  
They both smiled broadly. Buffy rubbed Willow's arm, and for a split moment savoured the soft feeling of Willow's silky skin, and at the same moment, Willow relished the slayer's hands and fingers gracefully fluttering over her skin.  
"You should get some rest Will. Big day tomorrow." Buffy told her. Willow nodded, grateful to have Buffy looking out for her.  
As Buffy left the room with a wave, Willow let out a sigh, watching her door as it closed.  
Buffy was just heading downstairs when there was a knock at the door. She frowned and wondered who it could be. She got to the bottom of the stairs and opened the door. Before her stood a young woman with shoulder length dark brown hair and shiny blue eyes.  
"Uh hi...can I help you?" Buffy asked the woman who looked at her.  
"Buffy?" the woman asked, unsure if this was the slayer.  
"Yeah. That's me." Buffy replied, unsure of her new visitor. The woman extended her hand to Buffy.  
"My name's Lela, I'm here to talk to you about your destiny." the woman replied. Buffy was confused as she shook Lela's hand.  
"My destiny?" Buffy asked. The woman showed herself in, walking past Buffy easily. Buffy closed the front door, but didn't let her guard down despite the fact that Lela seemed to be radiating a totally un-evil energy.  
Lela showed herself into the living room, Buffy soon following her.  
"You might want to start telling me who exactly you are." Buffy commanded.

Lela didn't look at Buffy.  
"Ok...I'll tell you who I am. My name is Andariel, you might have heard of me in newspapers." Lela stated her real name. Buffy thought for a minute.  
"Wait...you mean the same Andariel praised for rescuing citizens in distress all over the country?" Buffy asked. Andariel sunk back into the couch and spread her arms across the top of it.  
"Not just America, I've also made a few rescue trips across the equator you know." Andariel added.  
"Ok... so why are you here then? I'm the slayer, It's not like I need your help." Buffy proclaimed. Andariel sighed.  
"I know who you are Buffy. And believe me, I'm here for anything and everything except to take over your job as a slayer. I'm a watcha-ma-callit...uh...superhero...in terms of newspaper writers. I'm no vampire slayer by any means." Andariel explained.  
"So why is it your in California?" Buffy repeated her question again.  
"You're very powerful Buffy. But there's something that's holding back the full extent of your powers. Something that once it is released, it can be used to defeat the evil you seek to destroy." Andariel riddled. Buffy shook her head.  
"Ok...now you're really not making sense." Buffy said loudly. Andariel sighed once again and got up off the couch.  
"This isn't just about you anymore Buffy." Andariel said firmly. Buffy was somewhat confused by the statement.  
"This is about the one you love, the one who loves you." Andariel continued. Buffy was confused. When it was clear she was getting nowhere, Andariel brought Buffy around.  
"Willow." Andariel stated. Buffy's eyes widened.  
"What about Willow?" Buffy asked fiercely.  
"She needs you Buffy, more than you know. She's always needed you. And despite the fact that you don't really always realise it, or even want to...you've always needed her too." Andariel explained. Buffy felt a strange sensation run through her body. Something she hardly ever felt. She remembered all the times where she'd been there for Willow, and Willow had been there for her.  
"What's that got to do with my powers?" Buffy asked.  
"Love is what brings a persons true powers out. When a person confronts the one they love with their true feelings, they release all restraints that ever held them back and come into their full powers." Andariel answered.  
"Are you saying that I love Willow?" Buffy quizzed. Andariel was silent for a moment.  
"The heart doesn't need anothers voice to speak for it...each heart has it's own voice...and yours too will voice it's true feelings to you. And then...and only then...will you realise who you love and how much you really love them." Andariel said with a kind smile.  
Buffy was is a state of shock, and it was only added to when Andariel suddenly looked away then grimaced.  
"Geez...sorry I gotta go...there's a train-jacking in progress in California." Andariel got up, and before Buffy could speak, Andariel was surounded by a pale blue starry light, and when she emerged from it she was fully decked out in a beautiful outfit, complete with large feathered wings and a helmet. She was beautiful, but Buffy was sure those wings weren't real...or were they?  
"Catcha' later Buffy...don't forget what I said eh?" Andariel waved her hand, magically opening up a portal in the wall, before taking off in flight and vanishing through the hole into the night air outside. The portal magically closed behind her.  
Buffy looked around herself, stunned.  
"At least she didn't break down the wall." was all she managed to say.  
Buffy didn't know what it was about what Andariel had said, but she felt like going out to slay a few vamps, so she quickly and quietly grabbed her coat and tucked good ol Mr. Pointy into her waistband.  
Buffy reached the graveyard in an all too casual manner and strolled across the vast gravestone covered grounds not particulary in search of a vampire, but using the alone time before one emerged to overthink things Andariel had said.  
Andariel had told her that Willow needed her and that she needed Willow. Well, ok, there was never a time where she didn't need Willow by her side to help her through things, and there was plenty of times where she had also lent Willow a shoulder to lean on through rocky times. But wha was Andariel suggesting...that she and Willow were in love?  
Buffy span around and stabbed the vampire in its chest, turning it to ashes. It had been coming up behind her slowly thinking to catch her off guard. She quickly spun and kicked the other to the ground before leaning over it and delivering Mr Pointy to it's chest.  
Buffy stood back up and brushed off her clothes before continuing her casual and thought filled course through the cemetary.  
Buffy had tried for so long to hide and press her feelings deep into somewhere she would never have to find them or deal with them. A secret box that was locked with no key. And now it felt like Andariel had given her the key, and it was up to Buffy to unlock that box and face the feelings which had been locked away in it for so long.  
Another vampire jumped onto her from behind and grabbed onto her back. Buffy flipped it over herself and onto the ground where she drove the stake into it's heaving ribcage.  
Breathing hard, but not from the bout with the vampire, she stood up and walked towards the cemetary exit. She was breathing hard because the thought of what she had to face up to inside of that box was something that would change her life forever.

The house was silent as Buffy entered the front door. She had thought much that night, and still had much on her mind.  
The house was dark, and she figured that most everyone would be in bed.  
She took off her coat and hung it on the coat rack, then proceeded upstairs. She trod silenty, trying not to wake the others that slept in the house.  
Buffy knocked quietly on Willow's bedroom door, and when ther was no answer, Buffy assumed she was fast asleep and entered the room quietly.  
Willow's slim shape lay sleeping peacefully under the blankets, and a Buffy closed the door behind her and stepped up the side of Willow's bed, she could hear the gentle inhalation and exhalation of the beautiful girl. Buffy smiled ans sat down gently on the bed next to Willow.  
Buffy reached over and gently brushed a strand of Willow's red hair out of her hace, tucking it behind her ear. It wasn't the first time either. There had been many a time where Buffy had indulged in touching and stroking the red mane that belonged to Willow. Although each time she did was always during Willow's slumber, or occassionally as a friendly touch thing.  
This time it was different though. Buffy could almost feel an electrical energy crackling through her fingers as she touched Willow's hair and soft skin. Willow must have felt it too, because a moment after Buffy stroked Willow's cheek softly, Willow opened her eyes and looked up into Buffy's. She must have not seen her at first as she started flailing her limbs at Buffy in defense, though rather girlishly.  
"Back off! Leave me alone! If you touch me Buffy will get you..." but she was quietened as the slayer firmly gripped her arms and gave her a quick shake.  
"Willow! I AM Buffy!" Buffy told her, unable to help smiling at the situation. She couldn't see her face in the dark, but she was positive that Willow's face was flushed right now.  
"Oh...hey...Buffy. I didn't know it was you. I thought it was like...a burglar or something...can't be to careful you know...I mean...vampires are one thing, but atleast they don't try to steal your valuables...well, atleast...none of the vampires I've known of so far...so I think that's kinda' a good thing...although getting bitten in the night wouldn't exactly be pleasant..." Willow babbled, feeling slightly nervous at the prospect of having the Slayer sitting so close to her...on her bed...in the dark. Buffy grinned.  
"I'm sorry...I was babbling again." Willow apologised.  
"That's ok Wills. That's one thing I always liked about you." Buffy replied. Willow smiled sheepishly.  
"Yeah, so...hey..did you want something Buffy? Not that I'm tryna' get you out of my room quicker I just...shutting up now..." Willow said.  
"Well...I kinda' came to see you...I don't really have a way of explaining it...I just felt like you needed me to be here right now." Buffy said. Willow was elated at the thought of the Slayer wanting to be with her because she sensed she needed it.  
"Oh hey...that's so nice of you Buffy." Willow replied. Buffy smiled. There was a quiet moment.  
"I talked to someone tonight." Buffy told Willow. Willow's eyes brightened.  
"Really?" Willow asked as she reached over for her bedside lamp and turned it on. Buffy nodded in the pale light. Willow rubbed the traces of sleepiness from her eyes, now wide awake after her unexpected encounter with the slayer.  
"Yeah. You might've heard of her...Andariel." Buffy said. Willow's eyes widened at the mention of her name.  
"Wow...you met Andariel? She's like...wow...Andariel? I red about her in the papers and stuff but I never thought...Andariel?" Willow seemed excited, confused and nervous all at the same time after the mentioning of Andariel meeting to talk with her Buffy. Buffy couldn't help but feel a slight pang of jealousy at Willow's mulitple mentioning of Andariel's name. Yeah, like Andariel was a match for her, Buffy the vampire slayer.  
"It was no biggie...said something about me finding my soul mate...opening my heart up or something...oh...and she mentioned your name." Buffy explained casually, trying to mask her envy of the winged superhero. Willow's eyes widened and went all glazy at Buffy mentioning Andariel saying her name.  
"She knows me?" Willow asked hopefully.  
"I think it's a future seeing thingy...person...future...mind...reading...who knows..." Buffy trailed off. Willow looked at her bedsheets before looking back up at Buffy trying to figure out how to phrase her words.  
"What did she say about me exactly?" Willow asked. Buffy smiled.  
"Nothing I didn't already know." Buffy said, her smile widening at the clear confusion on Willow's face.  
Buffy looked at Willow's bed also, trailing her fingers accross the smooth silk bedsheets, thinking the touch would be somewhat like what it would be to touch Willow's smooth, silky skin.  
"I have to tell you something." Buffy looked up at Willow seriously, their eyes meeting in a gaze that could only be described as loving and tender all at the same time.  
"I've been hiding things from you Willow. Things you should know." Buffy continued. Willow listened intently.  
"Ever since I first saw you, I've had feelings for you that go much deeper than friendship. I mean... you know how every so often, we tell each other how we love each other, and think nothing more of it than "best-friends" kinda' love? Well, I've always loved you...but as more than a friend. I've always had these feelings lurking deep inside of me, and every time they tried to surface, tried desperately to claw their way to the surface, I'd push them back down inside of me again." Buffy poured her heart out. Willow couldn't believe what she was hearing. Buffy took Willow's hands in her own and squeezed them tightly.  
"But tonight Andariel made me realise that despite the fact that I've felt so many things for people like Spike and Angel, maybe even love, that nothing can compare to the love that I solely feel for someone that could only be described as the most human person I've ever known. Someone that's always been there for me, someone who always looked out for me, and helped me, and allowed me to help them in return." Buffy was close to finishing.  
"And I can't go on any longer knowing that I could lose the one I want forever, with them never knowing how much I love them." Buffy's eyes were tearing up. "I love you Willow. I don't ever want you to leave me." Buffy finished.  
Willow couldn't believe what she had just heard. There were no words to explain what she felt, only tears and pure emotion. Willow was crying now.  
She threw herself into Buffy's arms and held her tightly, savouring the steely embrace that Buffy held her in, comforting Willow, easing all her doubts, quelling her fears, and allowing her to share all the love that she felt for her.  
"I...I love you too..Buffy..." Willow finally managed to say between tears and Buffy's shirt which muffled her voice slightly. Buffy breathed in deeply, then exhaled. With that single breath she released all the worries that had plagued her for all the years that she'd known Willow and loved her. She knew that this time nothing would tear them apart from their firmly established feelings. But as they lay there, Willow couldn't help but ask a few questions that had been bugging her for a while now.

"Why did you try to hook me up with Lynk? And who is she anyway?" Willow asked suspiciously. Buffy sighed.

"She's a friend of Xander's. He tried to come onto her and when she told him she was gay he though it might be good for you two to get together. Of course I insisted on meeting her first." Buffy told Willow. Willow breathed carefully, taking it in.

"I just wanted to try to make you happy." Buffy finished, and was elated when she got a bright smile and a passionate kiss in return from Willow. They snuggled together once again.

"I couldn't be happier when I'm with you." Willow said, and with that, they fell asleep, together.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, despite wishing I did. :-) I borrowed them solely for the purpose of writing this fan fic for your entertainment and mine. :-)

Contact me: Any comments/critisism are more than welcom so please email me at: Buffy is driven crazy by Willow and seeks to Consummate their new found love.

IMPORTANT AUTHORS NOTE!!!!  
AHHH!! Many people have been wondering about the mysterious Andariel in 'Something About You', and I will ease all your little minds by soon finishing a 3rd fan fic, which comes after this one, which will explain to everyone who the mysterious Andariel is. HAHA! I had it all planned from the beginning, you didn't think I'd actually leave details about Andariel out did you? Cheeky Monkeys.  
PS: There won't be any cliches, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Buffy awoke to the sunlight pouring in through an unfamiliar window, but she couldn't help but feel something familiar about this room. Suddenly she remembered as she felt the warm, soft arm draped around her waist. She smiled.

Last night after a heart-felt conversation and declaring their love for each other, Buffy and Willow had fallen asleep in each others arms, exhausted. Of course, they were still in their clothes. No hokey-pokey on their first night together.

Buffy sighed as she remembered holding Willow until they were both exhausted from crying aholding each other, so they lay down under the covers to leave the rest for the next day. Now Buffy found herself longing for the redhead's touch.

She slowly turned to face Willow and looked at her soft, supple face, taking in all the beautiful features of the love of her life. She sighed and smiled. This apparently had an effect on Willow, because the redhead slowly opened her eyes, foccussing her gaze on Buffy.

"Hey sleepy head." Buffy greeted Willow, delivering their first sweet kiss to her lips. Willow smiled, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Hey yourself. Man...that was the best sleep I ever had." Willow commented. Buffy smiled back.

"It's hard not to sleep lying next to someone as comforting to be with as you." Buffy told her. Willow's eyes instantly looked wartery at the romantic statement just made by Buffy.

"Buffy Summers..." Willow was exasperated. But Buffy silenced Willow with a soft, tender kiss to the lips.

"What a way to wake up." Willow commented when the kiss ended. Buffy grinned.

"Well we didn't get a chance to kiss last night, so I thought a good-morning I love you kissmight be in order. Willow smiled gently.

"You are so sweet." Willow told her. Buffy looked away sheepishly.

"I try, but I'm not always sunshine, lollipops and rainbows." Buffy told her. Willow stroked Buffy's left cheek before planting a short but reassuringly tasty kiss on the slayer's lips. Buffy chuckled a bit. Willow looked at her bemusedly.

"What's funny?" Willow asked her. Buffy grinned misheivously.

"Could you imagine Dawn walking in on this?" Buffy told her. Willow grinned too.

"Somehow I don't think she'd be too surprised to see us together. And besides, it's not like we were doing anything dirty or anything, I mean, we only shared our first kiss a few moments before, it's not like she's gonna walk in on us humping on the floor like a pair of wild animals mating." Willow joked, but instantly regretted the last part of her comment as she saw the fire ignite in the slayer's blue eyes, and instantly knew she was in for it.

"Uhh...ummm...Buffy? I think..." but Willow didn't have time to finish her sentence as Buffy moved in for the kill and locked their lips together, kissing her love with a fiery need.

Willow could feel the heat as Buffy's body melted into hers and their lips clashed together. Willow groaned slightly as Buffy's tongue explored her mouth, before moving down her chin and neck.

But it was just as Buffy was moving her hand up Willow's pyjama shirt that there was a rap at the door and the sound of it opening and a voice as well as footsteps entering.

"Hey Willow breakfast is..." Dawn stopped short at the sight of Buffy in Willow's bed, on top of her, furiously kissing her and touching her. Dawn's eyes went wide.

"Buffy?!?!" Dawn's voice was quizzical, surprised and angered all at once as Buffy quickly pulled herself off of Willow and sat on the edge of her bed, straightening her shirt and messed hair. Willow blushed a shade of red that would give a beetroot a run for it's money whilst straightening her PJ shirt so as not to look to disshevelled.

"Dawn, I can explain..." Buffy started as she stood up and took a few steps towards her sister. Buffy thought Dawn was upset to find her kissing her best friend, but it wasn't until a sly smile crept accross her sister's face that she realised Dawn's exclamation had been made in excitement, she smiply had recognised the tone.

"Please...explain? This is GREAT! I can't believe you two are finally together!" Dawn proclaimed. Buffy and Willow were more than a little shocked.

"What?!" Buffy asked. Dawn cracked a huge grin.

"Geez Buffy, it was so obvious the way you constantly pined over Willow, and the way Willow was always that nervous, babbler whenever she was around you. I mean come on, get with the millenium sis." Dawn explained in her excitable teenage voice.

Buffy turned to Willow and exchanged baffled and bemused glances with her, unable to stop heself from smiling at their current situation. Buffy turned back to Dawn as Willow pulled herself out of bed.

"So you're not mad at me?" Buffy asked her sister. Dawn smiled.

"Buffy I couldn't be happier. Now, how about some breakfast guys?" Dawn asked excitedly. Willow came over to Buffy.

"Sounds great Dawnie, Buffy and I will be down in a minute." Willow told Dawn, and smiled as Dawn practically skipped out of the room. Once they were alone, Buffy turned to Willow.

"Well, that went well." Buffy said, smiling at Willow. Willow leant forwards and took Buffy's lips in her own. Buffy chuckled slightly.

"Why do I get the feeling you're hungry for more than just breakfast?" Buffy joked as she took Willow into her arms. Willow's eyes shone, and Buffy could see the fire burning behind them.

"Mmmm...maybe that's cos I'm hungry for more that just breakfast..." Willow grinned and kissed Buffy again. Buffy tried desperately to control her urges as Willow touched all the right places and kissed her with a burning passion and desire. Buffy finally broke out of the kiss.

"You know we should really get dressed and have breakfast before I do something I won't be able to take back." Buffy said to Willow, looking into her green eyes as her chest heaved up and down, trying to catch her breath. Willow tempted Buffy with one last kiss.

"You have no idea what you do to me." Buffy told her passionately as Willow eased away from her then went to get dressed.

"I think I have an idea." Willow teased her soon to be lover.

Dawn was sitting at the breakfast table shovelling in pancakes and maple syrup as Buffy and Willow entered the kitchen. Dawn could instantly feel the heat of passion burning between the two women.

Buffy took a seat next to Dawn as Willow headed to the fridge for the carton of orange juice. Buffy couldn't help but stare, practically drooling, as Willow bent over at the fridge, her tight jeans exposing a temptingly delectable rear end that Buffy would love nothing more than to give a good squeeze.

'Ok...calm down...clear blue ocean...clear blue ocean...clear blue negligee...Willow...oh boy...clear blue ocean...Willow...Willow...Willow...' Buffy's mind raced at the thought of holding Willow in her arms all night long, but reminded herself not to get any ideas while her younger sister was present.

Willow poured juice for her, Buffy and Dawn, and breakfast was eaten through a comfortable conversation. You know the usual, how's school, any boyfriends yet Dawn, have you and Willow had sex yet Buffy...

Willow and Buffy both looked at Dawn. Dawn stopped eating in mid chew.

"What?" She asked, bemused. Buffy looked at Willow who was now turing a bright shade of pink. Buffy took a deep breath.

"No, Dawn, we haven't, but perhaps if you hadn't have ran in on us this morning, I might have answered that question differently." Buffy answered, and smiled slightly as Willow's blush became even redder.

"Sorry." Dawn replied looking at her plate. She finished off her pancakes then stood up, grabbing her schoolbag by the door.

"I'm off to school. Bye Buffy, bye Willow." Dawn waved goodbye as she headed out the house. Buffy and Willow both sighed a sigh of relief as they heard the front door close.

Willow noticed Buffy looking at her with a glint in her eye. Willow looked at Buffy curiously.

"What?" Willow asked her as Buffy slowly got up out of her chair and headed over to Willow, a lecherous smile on her face.

Willow was unable to reply as Buffy brought her lips to the Wiccan's and kissed her deeply and passionately. Willow groaned at the fiery intensity in the slayer's lips. Willow closed her eyes as Buffy slid her lips down over her chin and her neck, kissing every inch of silky skin, tasting every sweet piece of flesh with her soft tongue.

Willow ran her hands over the Slayer's rippled back, jumping at the almost electrical current that ran through her fingers as she touched the powerful muscles used so valiantly to slay vampires and demons. Willow gasped as Buffy wrapped her arms around her body and lifted her up, and the Wiccan instinctively wrapped her legs around Buffy's waist.

Willow panted as Buffy kissed her furiously, carrying her upstairs. They barely made it to the bed before Buffy's landed on Willow, the soft matress breaking their fall.

Willow looked up into Buffy's blue eyes, and noticed something different. Buffy's eyes were aglow not with the primal urge and need to consummate her love for her, but they were filled with pure love as Buffy tenderly stroked Willow's soft red hair. Willow blushed at the affection coming from the slayer, and Buffy smiled.

"I've dreamt of being with you for so long Willow. Every time I see you, every time I hear your voice...you have no idea what you do to me." Buffy told Willow softly. Willow could feel her heart thumping, pumping blood to all those places it gets pumped to when the adrenaline and endorphines kick in. She swallowed.

"Buffy I've dreamt of being yours for as long as I can remember. And now that we're together...everything is just as I've ever wanted it to be." Willow replied, and returned a soft smile that she received from Buffy. She taken again in the moment as Buffy leaned over her and brought their lips together in a searing kiss that seemed to last for all eternity.

Willow's breathing quickened as Buffy slowly slid her fingers down her sides and reached for the hem of the Wiccan's shirt. Her fingers slid under it easily and slowly lifted it over Willow's head, tossing the piece of clothing aside. Buffy took a few moments to gently unclip Willow's bra, all the while moving her body rhythmically over Willow's, the friction causing Willow to grow restless.

The bra finally came undone and Willow gave a small cry as the cold air rushed over her body.

Buffy brought her body down over Willow's until their bodies met in unison, and their lips clashed in need for consummating their love. Willow furiously pulled Buffy's shirt off and fumbled as she tried to unclip the bra, cursing and causing a smile to spread across the slayer's face, but not once causing their lips or bodies to break contact.

They finally managed to remove all their articles of clothing and continued their passionate love-making.

They groaned in unison as their lips clashed over and over again, and Willow cried out as Buffy moved her own center against the Wiccan's, finding the exact spot and delivering to it long thrusts that caused them both to build up towards climaxes.

Willow grasped tightly onto the Slayer's back as she started to experience something that could only be described as a volcano building up to it's erruption. Willow felt the heat rush through her body, and a pulsing energy building up in her abdomen, and without being aware of it she was begging Buffy to use more force, to release her from her sexual prison and to make her erupt like a cliff being pounded by constant waves.

Willow cried out as all the muscles in her body tensed, a huge wave of pleasure exploding through her body, a wave so powerful, that Willow found herself unable to sustain it any longer, and she blacked out.

Willow awoke to the sound of the door downstairs opening. She sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"Guys, I'm home!!" Dawn yelled upstairs.

Willow slowly got out of bed and pulled on her scattered clothes. At that moment Buffy entered the room.

"Finally awake?" Buffy said with a grin and gave her lover a kiss on the head.

"Buffy that was amazing." Willow said as she pulled on her shirt. Buffy smiled.

"You weren't so bad yourself. I've never had such a huge orgasm in my life." Buffy admitted. Willow raised an eyebrow.

"I wouldn't know, I kinda blacked out." Willow said sheepishly. Buffy looked at her knowingly.

"I know. You were out all day. I tried everything to wake you up." Buffy told her. Willow felt slightly guilty.

"I'm sorry you know." Willo apologised.

"Don't sweat it." Buffy said, and after a moment of silence she kissed her on the lips.

"I love you." Buffy told Willow. Willow smiled.

"I love you too." Willow replied, then they headed downstairs.

"So what hve you two been doing all day?" Dawn asked, making herself a sandwich. Buffy and Willow exchanged glances.

"Nothing really." Willow lied. She smiled misheivously at Buffy.

If only Dawn knew!!

The End (for now!)


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, Joss and Mutant Enemy and anyone else I left out owns em.

Feedback: Please do! Email me at: Andariel shows up in Sunnydale once again to give Buffy and Willow a heads up about what is to come in the future. But who is Andariel? Buffy is determined to find out and the truth will knock your socks off!!!!

AN: Please notice that I have made faint references to the spell used in Shyfox's "Sappho's Spell" series. I figured Shyfox wouldn't mind too much, seeing as the Spell is a great way to get Buffy and Willow to have a baby. (oops, hope I haven't spilled too many beans for what my future plans are) :-)

Willow bustled clumsily through the kitchen, trying her best to bend down and reach into the fridge for a bottle of water. Buffy smiled as she read the newspaper.

Willow closed the fridge door and sat down accross from Buffy, drinking from her container of water. She sighed.

"I can't help but feel relieved that you're giving up slaying for a week just to be with me." Willow admitted. Buffy turned the page she had been reading.

"Yeah well Giles said the new Slayer would be arriving in California sometime tomorrow, so I guess that means it's good bye to fighting vampires and demons for me. Just for a week though." Buffy said as she scanned the page for iteresting news. Willow smiled. She couldn't describe how relieved she really was that Buffy was going to be spending the next 7 days with her, no slaying involved. Although there was a few things she didn't mind that came with being a slayer's lover, eg really good love-making.

Willow chuckled at this thought as she took anther sip of her water. Buffy couldn't help but notice the glint in her lover's eyes and smiled, trying to imagine what was going through Willow's thoughts right now. Buffy turned another page and couldn't help but smile in awe at what she saw on the page.

"Andariel." She proclaimed. Willow looked accross the table at Buffy in mid swallow.

"Hmm?" Willow asked her. Buffy laid the newspaper flat out on the table and turned it so Willow could read what it said. Willow couldn't help but smile.

The headline read: "Superhero Andariel Effectively Slays Vampires and Returns Normalcy to Downtown New York."

"Looks like our little cupid knows how to handle herself when it comes to staking vampires." Willow said, taking another chug from her water bottle. Buffy was exasperated.

"Of all the nerve Willow! She told me she had no intentions of slaying vampires, that she was just a so-called 'superhero'. And here she is practically taking over my job!" Buffy proclaimed. Willow looked at Buffy with that look in her eyes. The 'you're-getting-carried-away-again' look. Buffy saw the look and shifted in her seat, taking back the newspaper and turning the page.

"She's not taking over your job, and besides, it's New York, miles away! It doesn't matter. A-a-and who knows, maybe she's the next slayer that's coming to California." the last part had been partially a question rather than a statement. Buffy looked over the top of the newspaper.

"I doubt it." Buffy covered her face with the paper again. "She's in no way slayer material. Flying around in her little costume, if that's what it is. Doing magic tricks and such." Buffy was obviously jealous. Willow raised an eyebrow, sensing the tinge of envy that radiated from her lover's body.

"Buffy you know I'll always love you, slayer or no slayer." Willow told her. Buffy put down her paper and looked at her Wiccan lover before finally giving up, sighing and going around to her side of the table to wrap her arms around her lovingly.

"I know. I guess I'll just always feel like no one else out there could ever do a better job of managing saving the world than I did." Buffy said, not so modestly, but oh so truthfully. Willow smiled.

"You've done a great job, under the circumstances." Willow told her. Willow placed a small kiss on her lover's lips before she allowed herself to be held tightly in those strong slayer arms.

"Mmmm...I could hold you all day long..." Buffy cooed as she rocked Willow slightly in her arms. Willow sighed happily, mirroring Buffy's feelings.

"Could...but can't." Willow added as she slowly slipped out of Buffy's arms, much to the slayers dissaproval. Buffy pouted. Willow hated it when she did that.

"Buffy...you know I can't stay, I promised Xander I'd meet with him for a day of shopping. Xander likes to call it "Spoil Willow day." Willow talked about the day she'd had planned with Xander. Buffy rested her head on top of Willow's and nuzzled her affectionately.

"I know. But just think how excited I am about the prospect of you coming home after a long day of shopping and wanting a little...tension release?" Buffy had a good point and Willow couldn't help but smile.

"Buffy you've been nothing but supportive of me, and I can't think of anyway to thank you for everything." Willow told her. Buffy kissed the back of Willow's neck.

"Simply allowing me to love you and being loved in return is all the thanks I need." Buffy told Willow firmly. Willow almost cried at how sentimental Buffy was. She turned around in Buffy's arms and threw her own around her, hugging her tightly.

"Oh Buffy..." Willow started to sob. Buffy was exasperated. She didn't know whether to laugh, smile or cry. She held Willow tightly.

"Hey it's ok Willow." Buffy comforted her. Willow sniffed and struggled to wipe away her tears.

"Damn hormones..." Willow and Buffy both chuckled as Willow stepped away from Buffy, wiping her tears with the sleeve of her shirt. They suddenly heard a horn toot in the driveway. It was Xander.

"I thought you were gonna meet him there?" Buffy was surprised. Willow finished wiping her tears.

"I guess he wanted to make sure I got there safely or something and figured picking me up was the best option." Willow looked at Buffy. They both smiled.

"I love you." Buffy told Willow. The red head smiled.

"I love you too." Willow replied, and gave Buffy a lingering kiss on the lips.

"Now you and Xander go have fun." Buffy told her, and after a reassuring Willow smile, Willow left with her purse out the front door. Buffy listened as the car pulled out of the driveway and sighed to herself, wondering what she could do with herself all day.

What Buffy hadn't expected was the knock at the door while she had been busy preparing a toasted sandwich for her afternoon-snack in the kitchen. Buffy cursed and switched off the toaster then hurried to answer the door.

She turned the handle and was about to say "What?" out loud when she saw who it was standing in her doorway.

"Andariel??" Buffy was shocked to see the superhero-turned-vampire-slayer on her doorstep. Andariel smiled.

"Long time no see hey?" Andariel replied as she gave Buffy a warm smile. Buffy was still slightly shocked.

"W-what are you doing in California?" Buffy asked her. Andariel looked serious.

"We need to talk." Andariel replied, and waited for Buffy to step out of her way before she entered the house and headed for the loungeroom.

Buffy closed the front door and followed Andariel into the loungeroom. Andariel took a seat on the sofa whilst Buffy took a seat in the adjacent recliner.

"So what's the good word?" Buffy joked. Andariel smiled briefly.

"I see you and Willow are getting along nicely. Won't be long before you guys get married." Andariel commented, shocking Buffy who hadn't expected the superhero to give her a prediction on her future. Buffy had recently been planning on asking Willow to marry her, but was waiting for Willow to settle into their relationship first.

"How did you..." Buffy started but was silenced before she could finish her question.

"Willow is in grave danger." Andariel said simply. Buffy was suddenly all ears.

"Why is she in danger?" Buffy asked.

"There are certain forces at work that will do anything to stop you and Willow uniting. They know how great your love is for her, and they know how much Willow loves you in return." Buffy noticed the shudder that travelled down Andariel's spine, and she couldn't help but feel a lump form in her own throat.

"Who are they?" Buffy demanded.

"They are the ones that keep the balances between good and evil. They believe that if you and Willow unite, that you and her will unleasha great power, unlike anything known on this planet, or even this whole universe." Andariel explained. Buffy shook her head. 'How could this be happening?' Her mind raced with many thoughts. But there was one question that still plagued her mind.

"Do you have the ability to see into the future?" Buffy asked her. Andariel thought for a moment.

"No I don't. Occassionally I have dreams, and I have the ability to sense current dangers...that's how i tell when theres people in trouble. But I didn't dream anything that told me about your future." Andariel's last few words confused Buffy somewhat

"How do you know? Who are you?" Buffy asked. Andariel loked at her solemly before answering. What she said knocked Buffy off her feet.

"I'm your daughter."

"Y-y-y-your...m-my...y-y-ou...and...it...my...daughter?" Buffy stuttered, unable to form coherant sentences. Andariel couldn't help but smile slightly.

"...how?" Buffy finally managed to ask.

"You and Willow, mum, in the future you both sent me back to this past to make sure I helped you and Willow get together, and to make sure you and Willow had a baby together, and to make sure the child...I mean...me...was kept safe until I came into my full powers." Andariel also seemed to have trouble explaining the details and winced at her poor effort. Buffy was silent for a few moments before she stood up and took a seat next to Andariel.

For the first time she noticed how red Andariel's hair was, despite the fact that her last visit it had been brunette. Buffy couldn't help but reach out to touch the smooth locks of fiery red silk. She noticed the blue eyes, deep blue, not unlike her own.

"Your hair was brown last time..." Buffy started. Andariel grinned.

"Yeah I like to dye it sometimes. Having red hair all your life can get a bit boring. I like a bit of variety." Andariel said. Buffy was too shocked for words.

"You...you're both Willow and my daughter?" Buffy asked, trying her best to keep her emotions at bay. Andariel nodded.

"It was a spell, you and mum told me about it many times, but no matter how many times I hear it from your own lips, I still have trouble believing it." Andariel answered. Buffy smiled slightly, her eyes watering.

"What are we like in the future?" Buffy asked, unsure of how to phrase her next sentence. Andariel smiled.

"You and mum never part. You love each other like there's no tomorrow. Here, I'll show you." Andariel reached into her jean's pocket and pulled out a thin wallet. She opened it and pulled out a photograph. She handed it to Buffy who looked at it eagerly.

Buffy and Willow were standing at the back of the photo, arms around each other, and Andariel was crouching in front of them. Buffy noticed a younger teenage girl leaning on Andariel's shoulder's in the photo. She looked at Andariel.

"Who's the girl with blonde hair leaning on you?" Buffy asked. Andariel smiled.

"That's Reeanus, my sister, you and mum's other daughter." these words shocked Buffy, and she couldn't help but look at the photo over and over again. She looked up at Andariel, then the photo, then Andariel, then the photo. Her mouth moved but no words came out.

"W-we...had another d-daughter?" Buffy felt an overwhelming amount of emotion welling up in her chest, and found herself stuttering in a similar way Tara did when she was under pressure.(in this reality Tara was never killed because she and Willow weren't upstairs when the shot was fired. Kinda makes sense huh?)

"You and mum did the spell again..." Andariel looked away, blushing slightly at this comment as she recalled the night her two mothers had used the spell to...mate...again. Buffy looked at Andariel. Andariel quickly looked at Buffy, a worried thought crossing her mind.

"You're not going to not do the spell because I told you about it...are you?" Andariel asked nervously. Buffy smiled.

"I would never try to stop Willow and I from having a daughter. Besides, I don't know what the spell is so I can't really stop it. We'll just have to wait and see." Buffy reasured her, and after a while just shook her head.

"It's just so hard to believe you're actually here." Buffy said as she felt a tear roll down her right cheek. Andariel wiped away the tear.

"And to think I was jealous that you were slaying vampires when you're really my future daughter." Buffy couldn't help but laugh at the thought. Andariel did too.

"So is mum around?" Andariel asked. Buffy looked around.

"Uh no actually. She went to the mall a while ago with Xan..." Buffy paused for a moment before smiling and continuing. She had to correct herself. "She went to the mall with your Uncle Xander." Andariel seemed elated at this fact.

"Will I get to see him? Wow I wonder what he looks like." Andariel's face lit up at the prospect of meeting the younger Xander.

"Well you should stay till they get back. Come on, I was making some toasties in the kitchen. We can eat while you tell me everything about our future." Buffy said as she got up, taking her daughter by the arm. Buffy was momentarily awed at the fact that as she grasped Andariel's arm she could feel the muscles harden and ripple beneath her fingers, and for a brief moment was unable to lift her, until Andariel realised and eased herself off the couch, pretending like it had been Buffy that lifted her.

They went to the kitchen, and Buffy couldn't shake this strong electrical current that Andariel had left running through her hand and forearm. She couldn't get around how strong Andariel had been.

"So you slay vampires in the future?" Buffy said as she turned the toaster back on and solemnly looked at the blackened remains of her charcoal sandwich. She sighed before throwing it into the bin and taking fresh bread out of the loaf to make another one.

"Yeah. You and mum pretty much made me head of vampire and demon killing when I was 16." Adariel made the statement simply, and Buffy was shocked by it.

"16?" Buffy repeated. Andariel nodded. Buffy comprehended it for a moment, remembering how she had only been about 16 when she had been made to take on the destiny of being Chosen One.

"How old are you now?" Buffy asked, looking over at Andariel.

"26." Andariel stated. Buffy almost fell over.

"You mean you've been doing this for 10 years and you're still alive?" Buffy was shocked. Andariel grinned.

"Yep. Geez mum, I'm the daughter of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the Willow the great Wiccan witch with unbelievable powers. You didn't think I'd grow up to be a weakling did ya'?" Andariel's statement made sense to Buffy, who suddenly realised that it was obvious why Andariel had such strength and magical power.

"What about Reeanus?" Buffy asked, wondering about her other daughter.

"You try not to let her get into the whole vampire thing too much. She's powerful, but you just leave most of the killing to me." Andariel ended her sentence with a smile. Buffy smiled. She and Andariel sat and talked all day, eating their toasties as Andariel told ehr everything about their future, and Buffy told her everything about their past. Hours later, Willow finally returned home with Xander.

"I'm home!!" Willow called out as she walked into the kitchen lugging bags of goodies, Xander following closely behind with also lots of bags of goodies.

When Willow put her bags down and saw Andariel sitting at their kitchen table with Buffy, her eyes widened.

"Andariel?!?!" Willow said as she stared at the superhero-vampire-slayer. Xander plunked his bags down also and joined the party.

"Andariel?" He looked around the room before his eyes came to rest on the person's who's name was mentioned.

"Guys this is Andariel." Buffy introduced her. Willow was speechless, Xander looked goofy, and Andariel's eyes lit up.

Willow was shocked as Andariel came over to her and hugged her to bits. She struggled to breathe.

"Ok...oxygen is good..." she managed to gasp and Andariel let go of her. Then Andariel turned to Xander and embraced him in a big hug. Xander was speechless.

"Ok...this is cool?" He was somewhat confused.

"There's something you should know." Buffy said as Andariel released Xander. Buffy took a deep breath as everyone foccussed on her, but not once did they lose sight of Andariel.

"Andariel is...my...umm...our...d-daughter." Buffy finally managed to say. Willow's mouth hit the floor. Xander was confused...uhh...again.

"Wait a second...she's..." Xander pointed at Andariel whilst exchanging confused glances between Buffy and Willow. He'd known about their relationship, I mean they'd told him, and even if they hadn't, it's not like it wasn't obvious. But this was the icing on the cake. Now they had a daughter?? After all the things they'd encountered living on the Hellmouth, this was the most farout thing he'd ever heard of!!

Willow also exchanged glances with Buffy, who looked at the ground sheepishly, unsure of how to explain it. And even if she tried and knew how to, she knew she still wouldn't be able to.

"She came from the future. She's a future slayer. And she's our daughter, so she's magicly gifted as well as having slayer powers." Buffy said mostly to Willow, although she knew Xander took great comfort in knowing what was going on as well.

Willow looked carefully at her lover.

"So...we have a daughter in the future?" she asked quietly, not wanting to speak too loudly or to cause a hullabaloo, that's the least thing they needed right now. Andariel nodded as Willow turned to her.

Willow had a strange look in her eye as she looked Andariel up and down. Andariel couldn't help but feel Willow was silently trying to sense if she really was her daughter.

Willow took a step forward and gently touched Andariel's upper left arm with her hand. She let her fingers curl around the strong arm and she gasped silently at the electrical current running through those rippling muscles. Willow moved her hand up and gently touched her thumb to Andariel's chin as she looked into her eyes, searching for some sign that meant this was true, and that it wasn't some cruel trick being played by someone trying to tear her and Buffy apart. But all she saw behind those blue eyes was pure sincerity, hope, and truthfulness. She noted the fiery red mane that came to Andariel's shoulders.

Willow took her hand away and smiled at Andariel before stepping forwards again and embracing her. Andariel was somewhat shocked by the movement, but nonetheless smiled at the gesture and hugged Willow back. As Willow stepped away from her she had tears in her eyes. Willow tuned to Buffy who slipped an arm around her waist.

"I just never thought anything like this could happen." Willow said, still awed at the fact that this woman was biologically her's and Buffy's.

"You and me both." Xander chipped in. They'd almost forgotten the perky young man had been standing there. Buffy grinned. Andariel's smile widened. And that's when the front door opened and a young girl's voice called out, "I'm home!!"

Buffy instantly scolded herself for not remembering.

"Dawn! She slept over at Janice's, I completely forgot she was coming home this afternoon." Buffy said out loud.

"We're in the kitchen Dawnie!" Willow called out. The spritely young teenager soon entered the kitchen, plonking her bag of sleepover gear against the wall.

"Hey guys, what's up?" She asked, but stopped and stared as she saw Andariel. Andariel instantly returned the gaze. They both seemed strangely fixated on the other's presence.

"Who's the guest?" Dawn asked, trying not to sound too rude, but unable to hide a slight edge of sarcasm in her voice. Andariel stepped forwards, smiling.

"I'm Andariel." she said as she extended her hand to Dawn. After a moment of eyeing the hand suspiciously and figuring there was nothing dangerous about it, Dawn took the hand and shook it.

"I'm Dawn, Buffy's sister." Dawn replied, and instantly noticed Andariel's eyes light up at the explanation of who she was.

Andariel beamed and took a step back from Dawn.

"Something wrong?" Dawn asked, lowering one eyebrow, raising the other. Andariel shook her head.

"No no, I'm fine, just err...thought of a funny joke...and that you kinda' reminded me of someone." Andariel said, trying to hide her excitement. She knew it would be better if the teenager didn't know who she really was, she'd be too devastated when it came time for her to leave.

Dawn put two and two together and instantly took it that Andariel was making a joke about her.

"Are you poking fun of me?" Dawn asked indignantly. Andariel held up her hands in defense.

"Not at all! Why would I do that?" Andariel insisted. She knew Dawn had been feisty, but she never knew she was quite like this. Andariel had to conceal the fire she felt burning in her lower abdomen that this teengaer was sparking.

Willow instantly noticed the way Andariel was acting and eyed her suspiciously. Dawn didn't reply to Andariel, she simply gave her her best 'you may have won the battle, but you haven't won the war' glare. Andariel grinned.

"Dawn why don't I give you a hand taking your stuff upstairs?" Buffy asked her sister, and instantly gave Willow a quick glance from the corner of her eye. She'd also noticed the spark between her sister and Andariel, and knew Willow would want to find out more. And in the truth, so did she.

"Good idea Buffy, you go help Dawn. Xander...uhh...could you make some sandwiches? Thanks." Willow struggled to think of something to occupy her best friend so she could talk to Andariel. Xander looked at Willow suddenly.

"Sandwiches? Ohh great, so suddenly I'm the Summers-Rosenberg chef. A lot of good that'll do." Xander complained, but refrained when Willow gave him her 'don't argue with me Xander' look. Xander mumbled something about bread and headed for the refridgerator.

Buffy and Dawn had left the kitchen, lugging Dawn's bag of sleepover gear that even a slayer would have trouble carrying upstairs.

Willow hushed Andariel into the living room where she sat her down on the sofa. Willow sat closely next to her.

"Andariel...I'm gonna be truthful. This is really weird. But I'll get used to it. The main thing I wanted to talk to you about it what I sensed in the kitchen." Willow looked at Andariel, who immediately looked away sheepishly.

"I sensed something between you and Dawn." Willow confirmed, and when Andariel didn't reply, Willow placed a reassuring hand on her daughter's thigh. Andariel sighed.

"When I was 19...I had this major crush...on Dawn." the words she spoke shocked Willow, but she waited for the story to continue.

"She was 36, and I couldn't do anything about it. I was learning to use my magic, and somehow a spell that I was doing which was supposed to make her fall in love with me, instead it took 16 years off of her life, and she was 20 years old. I took the chance I had and after getting over the initial shock of a spell gone wrong and getting in major trouble from you and mum, I managed to seduce Dawn...and...we..." Andariel found it hard to continue.

"But I knew she was the key...and I saw that as her not really being Buffy's sister, therefore not really being my aunty, and therefore I wasn't doing anything wrong." Andariel continued. Willow listened in sympathy.

"But I knew I was doing something wrong. And when I was killed one night, caught off guard, I realised how wrong it had been...and how wrong I'd been." Andariel took a breath, which shook slightly as she fought back tears.

"I went...it was...horrible...I'd never thought such a place could exist. It was Hell...and then when I was brought back...by you...I realised what a terrible thing I'd done. And when I came back...I...was..." Andariel struggled with her words, but Willow's conforting touch helped her to continue.

"When I came back, I had no soul...and I was partly demon...and I had to change things, so I made a journey, to prove my worth. And there was only one way I could do it...I had to kill myself." these words shocked Willow to the core. Andariel was slightly more composed now.

"I went to a neutral ethereal plane, where they guaranteed that if I could prove my worth as Earth's protector and that my heart was pure, if I completed the test...I'd get my soul back, be purified, and have Dawn returned to normal...and that the memory of out incest would be erased from all of the memories that had known of it...including myself." Andariel explained. Willow quietly cut in.

"What if you didn't pass the test?" she asked. Andariel was silent for a moment.

"I'd be turned over to Hell for eternal punishment and suffering." she said bluntly. Willow was shocked by this, but seeing as Andariel was here with her now, she knew that Andariel had passed the test.

"I passed...and came back to life, everything back to normal. I didn't remember a thing. Until a demon emerged one day and returned my forgotten memories while I had a brief encounter with him. He said it was essential that I knew, for future reference...or in this case, PAST reference." Andariel couldn't help but smile at her last coment. Willow was busily taking in everything she'd heard.

"Wow...that's pretty intense." Willow commented quietly, and slowly gazed up at Andariel.

"So when you saw Dawn, it kinda' reignited your old flame?" Willow asked carefully. Andariel smiled.

"It brought back some good memories we had shared. Dawn and I are good friends now though, despite the fact that I don't see her much anymore. And anyway, I'm engaged to get married back where I come from." Andariel grinned proudly. Willow's eyes suddenly brightened.

"So who's the lucky guy?" Willow asked and instantly noticed the bright shade of red Andariel had turned.

"Uhh...umm...actually she's a girl." Andariel said sheepishly. Willow still grinned.

"So it runs in the family huh?" Willow asked misheivously. Andariel smiled, still blushing.

"I guess so." Andariel replied.

"What runs in the family?" came a familiar voice from the staircase, and Andariel and Willow turned to see Buffy coming downstairs. Willow smiled.

"Oh nothing...I'll tell you later Buff." Willow said and got up from where she was sitting to wait for Buffy at the foot of the stairs. Buffy flushed slightly as Willow pulled her in for a passionate kiss once she reached her. Buffy could feel her cheeks getting warm.

"Uhh...thanks Willow...I think." Buffy said, embarrassed by the show of affection in front of their daughter. Willow grinned and whispered in the slayer's ear, forgetting that Andariel had super-slayer hearing as well.

"You can thank me later." Willow's breath danced over Buffy's ear and Buffy couldn't help but find herself becoming more than slightly aroused at the statement. But not before she noticed Andariel getting up from the couch, scratching her head nervously, her face flushed slightly.

"Uhh...well it was nice sein' you all, but I've got some duties to attend to, so if you don't mind me running out on you for now..." Andariel cleared her throat before she spoke. Buffy looked over at her, the blush finally leaving her cheeks.

"No, not at all. You have duties and I totally understand that." Buffy said giving Andariel a warm smile. Andariel smiled in return.

"I'll come see you guys tomorrow, K?" Andariel promised as she walked over to them. Willow couldn't help but fel slightly sheepish at the sight of her independent and strong daughter.

"Sure thing." Buffy replied, and after a few moments of silence, Andariel pulled Buffy in for a tight hug, before turning to Willow and also giving her a warm hug. Buffy opened the front door. Andariel grinned and pointed at the door.

"Good idea." she said, remembering her show off antics last time she'd been here, using her powers to fly through a wall. She turned and waved goodbye as she strolled out the front door. Buffy and Willow returned the wave before closing the door. Buffy sighed.

"Where's Dawn?" Willow asked as she pulled her lover into a warm embrace. Buffy savoured the closeness and groaned happily.

"Upstairs...sleeping. She was more worn out than she let on after her sleepver." Buffy replied witha hint of mischeivousness in her voice. She nipped at Willow's neck, but suddenly pulled away, leaving Willow with a slightly shocked expression on her face.

"Xander!" Buffy exclaimed as he walked into the loungeroom with a plate of sandwiches. Willow suddenly turned to face him, her face blushing whilst she tried to act completely innoccent.

"I wasn't interrupting anything was I? Where's everyone gone?" Xander asked eyeing them off then looking around the room at the sight of emptiness.

"Well Andariel had some stuff to do so she left. Guess we won't need all those sandwiches. Say...why don't you go take them to Giles's, I'm sure he'd appreciate them?" Buffy rushed through her sentence, wanting to be alone with her lover as soon as possible. Xander looked suspicious but didn't argue.

"You know if you guys wanted time alone all you had to do was say so." Xander said as he headed to the door with the plate of sandwiches in his hand. Buffy opened the door for him.

"Ok then...Willow and I want time alone...seeya Xand!" Buffy said as she pushed Xander out the door. Xander was about to reply but found the closed in his face. He let out a deep breath and headed to his car, taking one of the sandwiches and biting into it.

"Hmm...not bad." he commented at his own sandwich making skills before getting into his car and driving off.

Meanwhile, Buffy and Willow had run upstairs as quickly as possible, making it to their bedroom just in time.

There was no words to describe the passionate love making session that ensued, but once it was over, Willow lay in Buffy's arms, pondering over all the things Andariel had told her. She explained about what had happened to herself and future Dawn, and what she'd been through afterwards. Buffy had listened in relative silence, unable to make any comments that she deemed appropriate, but in the end, she realised that Andariel knew she'd clearly made a mistake, and had been punished enough for what she did.

"I just find it so hard to believe she's our daughter Buffy." Willow said after a long silence with Buffy stroking her hair and Willow staring at the ceiling thinking. Buffy turned her head to Willow and planted a soft kiss on her cheek.

"You don't need to believe or not believe." Buffy told Willow, and the confused look she got in return prompted her to explain more what she meant.

"All you have to do is to have faith in us and our future." Buffy gave Willow a gentle smile, and the smile she got in return reassured her that Willow understood, and that she was willing to do as Buffy told her, that is to put her faith into them and what fate held for their future together.

The End (for now)

AN: So what did you think? Did I explain Andariel for you enough? I wasn't exactly sure how to end this chapter, so I guessed that something just a little romantic would be ok, nothing smutty though. I didn't exactly think it called for me to write the love scene. Besides, felt to lazy. :-) :-P  
So as always, review, review, review!!!! Please.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, except for Andariel of course, she is my own:-) But all the characters from the show belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.

Feedback: Much appreciated. As always, email me at: This is part 4 of "Something About You." Willow receives an unexpected surprise from Amy, who gives her a book she might like. What follows has both Willow and Buffy wondering about their future together and taking necessary steps. Also, an unexpected visitor drops in to see Buffy and Willow.

Pairing: Buffy/Willow (wouldn't be here if it wasn't) and also a new pair, Dawn/Faith. Ooooh, the plot thickens.

Warning: This story contains love scenes between two females, so if you're offended by female/female relationships or just plain don't want to read sex scenes, then I suggest you get the fudge out. :-) Also there is a little bit of swearing in here somewhere, so watch out for it.

AN[ and refer to flashbacks and/or memories.  
PS: If you want to use Andariel in any of your stories though, you may, just as long as you email me first and tell me what your story is so I can check it out.

"Check mate." Dawn proclaimed as she moved her white knight into position on the board. Andariel looked bemusedly at Dawn from her side of the board.

"How'd you ever get so good at this game?" Andariel asked. Dawn smiled and shrugged her shoulders

"Practise I guess." she answered. Dawn and Andariel had been slowly building up their friendship over the week, and it all started with Andariel saving Dawn from the clutches of a hungry vamp.

[ She'd been walking home from Janice's this afternoon when suddenly the sky darkened and it began to rain, thunder rolling in the distance. She had forgotten it got darker earlier in Winter.

Dawn covered her head with the hood of her jumper and crossed her arms as she began to walk home.

'It's ok, as long as I hurry and don't look all alone and helpless I should be safe.' Dawn reassured herself, unaware of the vampire silently following her in the shadows.

She cursed as she realised there was a cemetary not too far from where she was, and although she didn't need to go anywhere near it to get home, she still didn't like the idea of it being within 'sniffing' distance of herself and any hungry vamps lurking in it's darkness.

She quickly stepped up the pace, realising she was only 3 blocks from arriving home, but cried out rounding a corner as the vampire suddenly lunged out of the bushes at her and threw her to the ground.

Dawn quickly tried to scramble away as the vampire stalked towards her.

"Buffy!" She called, hoping the slayer's senses would tell her that her little sis' was in big trouble.

"Oh man...this isn't good." Dawn said as she stood up and managed to gain her composure. She looked at the male vampire hungrily sizing her up. The vampire moved all too casually, not bothering to use it's speed and agility, knowing that this girl was no match for it.

"Y-you better back off...my sister is Buffy...the v-vampire slayer...if you hurt me..." but she cried out as it lunged at her once more and reached it's sharp fangs for the pale flesh on Dawn's neck. Dawn screamed, closing her eyes as she prepared to have the life sucked out of her, but suddenly realised there was no sharp pain of the fangs sinking into her neck.

The vampire flew through the air and landed painfully on it's back on the cold, wet and hard tarmac. It turned to it's attacker, bearing it's fangs once more and luging at the person who had ripped it from it's meal.

But as it landed on it's attacker, it's chest landed squarely on a sharp piece of wood held tightly in it's attacker's hand. The vampire had a look of shock on it's face before it vanished into dust.

"Cough...cough..." Andariel closed her eyes and coughed as she frantically tried to wave the demon dust out of her face. Dawn turned to her saviour, a wide smile suddenly spreading accross her face.

"One thing I'll never get used to..." she mumbled as she turned to Dawn, not looking at the girl but looking at her dust covered clothing and trying to wipe away the mess with her hands, stake in one of them.

"You saved me..." Dawn started. Andariel shrugged the comment off.

"Yeah well...I wouldn't have had to if you hadn't been out at this time of night. Geez, you know California's not safe after sun set." Andariel chastisised the girl lightly, only annoyed at the fact that Dawn had been so careless, not because she'd had to rescue her. Dawn looked at the ground.

"Yeah well...I forgot the sun set early in Winter. My bad. I'm sorry." Dawn apologised. Andariel sighed and looked up at the rain soaked girl. She was also covered in rain, but she knew that being a slayer she didn't look as vulnerable as this girl before her.

"Let's get you home. I don't want you catching a cold." Andariel told Dawn, who instantly smiled at the comment and started walking alongside the somewhat arrogant slayer. Dawn couldn't help but think she was similar in a ways to Faith, the dark slayer turned bad then good again.

As the two walked alongside each other, Dawn couldn't help but feel safe in the presence of the superhero turned vamp-slayer.

They were silent as they reached the house, and as Dawn entered through the front door she turned, surprised that Andariel remained on the doorstep, not entering.

"You're not coming in?" Dawn asked her, seeing the rain soaked slayer standing with hands in coat pocket as the large drops of water continued to fall on her. Andariel smiled wanly.

"I've got slayer stuff to do...you know." Andariel said, and when Dawn's expression prompted her for more words, she sighed.

"Take care of yourself Dawnie." Andariel finally said before turning to leave.

"Andariel!" Dawn called out, and waited for the slayer to turn back around. She looked at Dawn.

"Thank's for saving me." Dawn said sincerely.

Andariel gave her an understanding and appreciative smile, before finally turning into the rain and leaving. Dawn closed the door as she decided to go upstairs and change into fresh clothes. She hadn't realised who had been standing behind her.

"Saving you from what?" Buffy asked sternly, arms crossed as she stood before Dawn, unwilling to move until she got an explanation, and after much hesitation she got one. And Dawn got the 'What where you thinking?' speech again, before Buffy decided to let it go, realising that Andariel had saved her, and she had a feeling that no matter what, Andariel would always be there for Dawn. Something Buffy herself wasn't always able to do.

And since this Dawn and Andariel's repor had improved. Each time Andariel visited, the excited Dawn would come up with some excuse for playing otherwise innoccent games with her. Like chess for example. Dawn's excuse had been 'But it's good for your thinking and logic skills. If there's anything a vampire slayer always needs it's more logic skills.'

Andariel had thought it cute and had agreed to a chess game with the girl. But one game quickly developed into 7 when Andariel realised that no matter what, she couldn't beat this kid at chess!

And now Andariel sat, baffled, by the fact that she really was hopeless when it came to playing chess. Dawn grinned at the expression on the slayer's face.

"Give up?" Dawn asked in a triumphant voice. Andariel nodded.

"You're too good for me." Andariel admitted as the ecstatic teenager began to pack away the board game.

"I know." Dawn replied, all too simply, but anything but modest.

"So tell me Dawn, what's it like being the world's chess playing champion?" Andariel asked in a radio interviewer's voice as she held up and invisible microphone for Dawn to speak into.

"Well I knew I could do it. The other player's moves were simply too predictable, and I was just too good." Dawn replied into the invisible microphone. She and Andariel grinned.

Just then there was a knock at the front door and they both turned to face it. Andariel sighed and decided to be the one to open it, and just as she got up and walked over to the door, Willow jogged past her and reached it first. Andariel was speechless. 'So not fair.' She thought to herself as Willow clenched the door-knob and turned it. She quickly turned to Andariel, grinning.

"Too slow." she proclaimed as she turned back to the door and opened it. Andariel couldn't help but grin. She didn't think it would be possible, but it appeared that even her past parents who hadn't even conceived her yet liked to enjoy the game of 'race to the door', a game that in her future would leave everyone scrambling to answer the door first. Andariel's grin became wider at this memory.

Willow opened the door and was more than just a little shocked to see her old magic buddy, Amy, standing at the door.

Willow was left open mouthed as the woman at the door grinned widely.

"Long time no see!!" Amy proclaimed as Willow's mouth moved up and down, no words coming out.

"A-Amy...I...didn't expect...I mean you didn't say...it's just that..." Willow babbled before she finally started smiling.

"Wow it's good to see you." Willow finally said before she stepped forwards and embraced Amy in a tight hug.

"Good to see you too." Amy said as she hugged Willow back.

Willow couldn't help but now notice that Amy was carrying a large book under her left arm.

As they let go of each other, Willow motioned for Amy to come inside.

"Come in, we can talk." Willow said to her, but Amy shook her head, still smiling.

"No that's ok, I just came here to give you this book. I saw it in a store one day and thought you might like it. Besides, it looks like you've got company." Amy explained, and noted the presence of Andariel who stood slightly behind and to Willow's right. Andariel didn't smile, she simply looked at the book which Amy handed over to Willow.

Willow took the book's weight in her hands and looked at it carefully. It was an old looking book, and heavy. It was thick with many yellowed pages, Willow figured it was a spell book of some kind.

"Gee...I don't know what to say Amy." Willow said as she continued to look the book over. Amy smiled.

"Thank you would be good." Amy joked. Willow smiled and looked at Amy.

"Thank you Amy. Although I really wish you would stay and have a chat." Willow insisted. Amy waved Willow's comment away.

"It was nothing. And despite the fact that I really would like to stay and have a catch up, well...I kinda' can't." Amy said, and for the first time, Willow noticed the small child hiding behind Amy's legs. Willo's eyes shone instantly as Amy coaxed the child out from behind her, taking her by the hand.

Willow knew that it had been a while since she'd seen Amy, but she never thought Amy to be the child having type. Amy almost seemed to read her mind.

"She's not mine, she's a friend of mines daughter. I'm baby-sitting her for the day." Amy explained with a smile, as she glanced down at the 3 year old girl chewing on her right index finger-nail. Willow seemed slightly relieved that it wasn't Amy's, after all, it had been just about a year since she'd last seen Amy, and to her it seemed inconceivable for Amy to have a 3 year old child in the time span of 1 year. Well, it seemed incoceivable full stop.

"Willow this is Mishka, Mishka this is Willow." Amy introduced the two. Willow bent down and smiled at Mishka, gently taking her hand and shaking it.

"Well it's nice to meet you Mishka." Willow said and smiled as the shy little girl looked at the ground and tried to move back around Amy's legs. Willow stood up.

"So...once again...thank's for the book." Willow said to Amy, and Amy was about to reply when a figure suddenly lunged at Willow from the staircase and wrapped her arms around her neck, placing a kiss behind her ear.

"Gotcha!" Buffy proclaimed, and it took her a moment to notice the eyes of Amy watching in awe, and Andariel somewhat in embarrassment. Buffy let go of Willow and tried to look casual.

"Amy?" Buffy asked. Amy took a few moments to respond. She shook her head, clearing the cobwebs.

"Hey...Buffy? Willow, I didn't know you two were a couple. What happened with the whole 'dating Kennedy' thing?" Amy asked. Willow blushed.

"Uhh...well...she...umm...I...she left...and..." Willow stuttered, unable to form coherent sentences, but fortunately Buffy came to the rescue.

"She went to LA to slay vampires there. Willow didn't want a long-distance relationship and decided it would be best if they broke up." Buffy explained. Willow sighed, thankful that her lover was able to fill in the gaps.

"Well...this certainly is an interesting turn of events." Amy proclaimed. Willow cleared her throat.

"Yeah...umm...well...it was nice seeing you again Amy." Willow said, trying to change the subject. Amy smiled.

"Yeah. You two. I'll try to drop in and see you sometime this month...that's if I have time." Amy said.

"Ok sure. So I'll see you later then?" Willow asked.

"Yeah. Seeya later." Amy replied. And with that, she took Mishka by the hand and led her to her car, before getting in and driving off.

Willow closed the door then lent up against it, releasing a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. Her hand that was holding the heavy book was all clammy and sweaty. Andariel cleared her throat and mumbled something about helping Dawn put the chess game away. Leaving Buffy and Willow to their own devices.

Buffy pulled Willow into an embrace and held her loosely, planting soft little kisses on the Wiccan's face and neck.

"Something's bothering you." Buffy said simply. Willow took a deep breath and let it out.

"You know I'd practically forgotten about Kennedy until Amy mentioned it." Willow answered. Buffy momentarily stopped the kisses before she nuzzled into Willow's neck, smelling the soft peachey smell of her hair.

"Why do you think that is?" Buffy asked, knowing that probing Willow like this would finally force her to find some closure over her tumoltuous emotions and feelings. Willow sighed, partly at exhaustion from trying to figure things out herself and also partly because Buffy's touches were so soothing and loving.

"Kennedy was an island in the ocean during a storm. I know it sounds weird, but while we were battling the First, she was the only one there to help pull me up when I was down. I tried searching for you, and I hoped that it was your hand that pulled me up, but it wasn't. Kennedy was my shoulder to cry on, but I don't think I ever really allowed myself to feel for her. Atleast not in the same way I felt for Tara...or you." Willow explained. Buffy looked into her eyes, her expression asking Willow to continue.

"And then my island was slowly drifting towards land. A huge country. You were that country. And so I got off the island and started swimming for land. Swimming for you. Leaving Kennedy behind. As if she'd just been a gas stop on my way to Atlantic City." the last part made Buffy smile. Willow could be very humourous at times.

Buffy reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind Willow's right ear. Willow smiled at the gesture.

"Every one needs gas stops some time in their life Willow." Buffy reassure her, looking deeply into her lovers eyes, before planting a soft, tender kiss on the Wiccan's lips. Willow sighed, feeling safer here in Buffy's arms than she ever had in anyone elses. She knew that when Buffy held her that everything would be alright.

Andariel bent down to pick up a stray knight off the carpet as Dawn shoved the board back into it's foam box. Tight squeeze, but that's the price you pay for wanting to protect a glass chess board and playing peices. Andariel handed the knight to a smiling Dawn, who took the piece from Andariel's hand, but not before Andariel noticed the way Dawn's fingers brushed over her own calloussed ones.

Andariel said nothing, but knew what Dawn's intentions had been clearly from the way she had touched her. Andariel sighed as Dawn shoved the knight into its respectful place, finally closing the lid on the game and shoving it under the couch.

Dawn got up quickly and flopped down on the couch, sinking back into its couchey goodness. Andariel gave her the eye.

"What? You're not going to sit next to the chess champion and keep her company?" Dawn asked with a mischeivous grin. Andariel sighed and sat down next to Dawn. They both eyed the staircase as a giggling Willow lead a more than compliant Buffy upstairs. Andariel shook her head.

"You never quite get used to it." Andariel said, and noticed the way Dawn gave her a funny look. She realised she had almost given it away that she was more than well aquainted with Buffy and Willow's antics.

"People acting all mushy that is." Andariel quickly covered, although she wasn't really lying, to her she never really could get over people acting all lovey dovey, except for herself. 'I mean it's different with yourself, it's not like you're looking at two people acting mushey, it's an act of love with the person you love' she thought to herself, instantly thinking she really wasn't convincing herself.

"I know what you mean." Dawn said as she finally smiled. Andariel rolled her eyes.

"Teenagers." Andariel said as she stared accross the room at nothing in particular. She felt Dawn elbow her sharply in the ribs.

"OW!" Andariel said, despite the fact it hadn't even hurt, just slightly taken her by surprise. These were the kind of antics that got her and Dawn into trouble in the future with their relationship.

"Teenager hey? I happen to be a young woman." Dawn told her triumphantly., crossing her arms stubbornly. Andariel complied.

"Ok, so you're a young woman." Andariel shrugged her shoulders. She turned to Dawn.

"So where's your boyfriend then?" Andariel asked her, grinning slightly. Dawn blushed.

"Well...I don't have one yet. But who says you need a boyfriend to be a woman?" Dawn proclaimed. Andariel's grin was misheivous.

"That's right. Maybe you need a girlfriend to be a woman." Andariel teased. Dawn blushed more. Andariel nudged her lightly.

"Hey...just kidding." Andariel told her, noticing how the beetroot red colour instantly started to recede from the embarrassed girl's face.

"So you want a soda?" Dawn asked. Andariel got up.

"Yeah sure. You lead the way." Andariel told Dawn, who instantly jumped up and made her way to the kitchen. But just as they neared the kitchen door, a loud, earth-shattering noise came from the lounge-room window, and they turned to see the window lying in millions of tiny peices on the lounge-room floor, including various bits of plaster and wooden framework. But to top it all off was what lay in the middle of the mess.

"Faith?!?!" Dawn asked, shocked to see the raven slayer slowly getting up, her shirt slashed and various cuts poking through frayed material. Faith limped into a standing position, and Dawn and Andariel followed her gaze through the hole in the wall. There stood a demon, ugly and angry looking, standing on the front lawn, seemingly glaring at Faith and the two others standing behind her, still slightly in shock.

It pointed at her, leering.

"I'll be back for you...Faith!" It warned, and in a flash, it was gone.

Before Andariel could react, Dawn had left her side and had instantly ran to the slayer's to check over her wounds.

"I'm ok Dawnie, really." Faith reassured her. Dawn inspected the slashes on Faith's arms and back, and ran her fingers lightly over the little scratches on Faith's face.

"What are you doing here? Who was that guy?" Dawn asked. Faith took a few breaths, steadying herself on her uninjured leg.

"Well I came here so B could have her time off to enjoy with Willow, but I guess there's still a few big bad's around who want slayers like myself 6 feet under." Faith said, using her normal joking crossed with sarcasm in her sentence.

Andariel came over to Faith and looked her over.

"Another slayer huh?" Andariel said as she heard frantic footsteps thundering down the stairs. She looked over to see Buffy and Willow, both slightly dissheveld, entering the room. Faith instantly noticed how Buffy had her shirt's buttons in the wrong holes. She grinned.

"Didn't mean to drop in on you guys like this. Hope I didn't get you and Red outta' bed B." Faith said, teasing the slayer slightly. Buffy glared at her.

"No, I'm sure you didn't mean to drop in on us Faith." Buffy said, trying to mask the sarcasm in her voice. Faith sheepishly smiled.

"Dawn what happened?" Willow asked, trying to ignore Faith and Buffy's usual antics. Dawn looked at Willow, but didn't leave Faith's side.

"A big ugly demon guy threw Faith through the window then told her he'd be back for her. I didn't recognise him but then again we could always check it out." Dawn explained before noticing the way Faith favoured her left leg to stand on.

"You hurt your leg?" Dawn asked her. Faith looked down at it.

"Yeah I think I mighta' sprained my ankle. No biggie, what with slayer healing and all." Faith tried to reassure her, but soon found herself being pulled away by Dawn to have her ankle first-aided.

"I'd love to stay and chat B, but..." Faith said as Dawn dragged her to the bathroom. Buffy's eyes followed Faith and Dawn down the hallway until the bathroom door closed after them. Then she turned her eyes to Andariel.

"Andariel did you recognise the demon that attacked Faith?" Buffy asked sternly. Andariel looked at Buffy.

"Well he kinda' reminded me of this one guy that back in my time came after Faith cos she killed one of his relatives or something. Wasn't too hard to kill, but he sure knew how to wreck a house like no other. Seemed to be his favourite pastime." Andariel explained. Buffy nodded. Willow looked at her lover. She knew she was upset because they had been interrupted during wild, passionate, fiery, wiccan and slayer love making, but Buffy knew they could make up for that later.

"So how do we kill him?" Buffy asked. Andariel looked at Buffy from under lowered eyebrows. She could sense the tension between the Slayer and her Wiccan.

"Well you just have to cut his head off..." Andariel explained, but before she could add anything else, Buffy butted in.

"Good. You know what to do, I trust you. Go find him and kill him." Buffy ordered her daughter, but Andariel could feel that Buffy's tension's had eased slightly, so she silently nodded before using her ability to fly to exit through the hole in the wall and out into the open, leaving Buffy and Willow behind.

Buffy sighed.

"Xander's gonna' have to fix that." Buffy said exhaustedly looking at the damage done to their loungeroom window. Willow smiled, putting an arm around her lover.

"Later." was all the Wiccan said as Buffy felt the fiery lips against her neck, and she knew there would be no room for argument, and honestly, that was the last thing she wanted to do right now. So she and Willow went upstairs to finish what they had started.

Faith took a seat on the edge of the bath-tub as Dawn followed her in, grabbing the first aid kit out of the bathroom cabinet.

Faith sighed slightly as Dawn rolled up her right pant leg and pulled off her sneaker and sock. Dawn pressed the slightly puffy ankle, causing Faith to emit a sharp "OUWCH!!" from her throat. Dawn gave her a sarcastic look. Faith frowned and allowed Dawn to continue her medical duties.

Faith decided to make conversation as the girl firmly wrapped bandaging around the ankle.

"So Andariel huh? I heard about her, what's she doing in California, and even bigger question, what's she doing here?" Faith asked. Dawn shrugged and continued to bandage.

"All I know is she's a slayer. Don't know much else about her though. We've become real good friends though, she even saved me from a vampire one day when I was out after dark." Dawn explained, her voice becoming more excited as she told Faith about her close encounter with the fanged kind.

"Huh...is that so. You know I could give her a run for her money." Faith said, masking the slight envy with over-confidence. Dawn looked up at her smiling. But the smile quickly faded as she finished bandaging the ankle.

"Take off your shirt." Dawn told Faith as she retreived Iodine from the first-aid kit. Faith's eyes widened.

"My shirt?" Faith repeated, unsure of whether she should comply. Dawn gave her a knowing look.

"Well if you want me to disinfect your ouchies then your going to have to take it off cos I can't get to them if you're wearing a shirt over top." Dawn stated in a "derr" kind of manner. Faith grumpily complied and lifted her shirt off, letting it hang off the edge of the bath tub on her right side.

Dawn sat next to Faith on her left side and gently started dabbing the smelly and stingy liquid onto Faith's cuts and gashes. She even had to remove bits of glass from some wounds. In the end Faith sulkily looked at her band-aid covered arms and cringed at how many different cuts she could feel stinging all at the same time from the blasted iodine.

She gingerly slipped her shirt on and just when she thought it was finished, she felt Dawn's hand hold her firm to stop her from getting up. Dawn looked at her.

"You've still got cuts on your face." Dawn told her firmly. Faith sighed.

"Just when you thought it was safe to Slay vampires..." she said sracastically as Dawn dipped a cotton ball in iodine and gently took her face in her hands.

Faith felt her heart skip a beat at how gently Dawn was attending the cuts on her face, and gulped as the soft fingers tenderly traced every inch of her skin, over her cheeks, forehead, chin and neck. She knew Dawn was only searching for any other damage that might have been done, but Faith just had to admit to the feelings this girl was causing in her body.

When dawn was finished she turned away, disposing of the cotton ball and turning back to Faith, smiling, pleased with the job she'd done.

"There you go! All better." Dawn proclaimed as she admired her great bandaging and medical skills. Although she knew keep down that she had done this because she sincerely cared for Faith and her well being.

"I feel like a walking band-aid." Faith said as she stood up, admiring and cursing the great job Dawn had done, both at the same time. Faith looked in the mirror and cringed.

"I even LOOK like a walking band-aid." she said sulkily. Dawn smiled.

"Better safe than sorry. I mean, it's better this wasy cos atleast your cuts won't get infected or anything. And you wouldn't want that, believe me. This one time I got cut with a piece of glass from this glass I accidentally dropped once and Buffy told me to put iodine on it so it didn't get infected, but I didn't, I just put a band-aid on it. But then it got infected and all yellow and pussy and it was pretty gross." Dawn recalled, nodding her head at agreement with her statement that you should always disinfect wounds. Faith sighed.

"You're right Dawnie. Iodine is good, no matter how, stinky, stingy or just plain annoying it is." Faith agreed, seeing Dawn's side of the story but also not wanting to argue with someone who she cared for. Dawn smiled and opened the bathroom door for Faith, who gratefully exited through it.

As Dawn followed her out, she noticed Faith heading for the front door and instantly became worried.

"You're not going out are you?" Dawn asked nervously as Faith turned to her.

"Dawnie I'll be ok. It's still daylight outside." Faith reassured her. Dawn came up closely to her and looked into her eyes.

"But what about that big bad demony guy, he isn't affected by sunlight, and he could be out there. Waiting for you. And besides you PLAN to stay out until night time, and then you'll be all hurty and you wont be able to fend for yourself." Dawn tried to make Faith see reason. Faith looked around, unsure of what to say.

"Look I'd love to stay and reminisce kiddo but I really can take care of myself." Faith told her firmly. Dawn looked hurt and Faith instantly regretted what she said. She was about to take back what she said when Dawn cut in.

"So that's it huh? I'm not important enough for you to want to stay with me for a while? And kiddo? Incase you haven't noticed Faith, I'm not a kid anymore. I'm a young woman and I'd appreciate it if you treated me that way." Dawn raised her voice as the tears slipped out from under her eyelids. Faith reached out a hand to comfort the girl but instantly Dawn turned away and ran upstairs.

Faith stood where she was for a moment, trying to think of what to do. She cursed herself for being so ignorant and careless with her words. She suddenly decided to go upstairs to find Dawn.

Once she got up there she moved to the door she remembered gained entrance to Dawn's room and slowly turned the knob.

As she entered the room she saw the small framed girl lying face down on her bed, crying, sobbing into her pillow. Faith quietly closed the door behind her. She walked over to the bed and sat down on the matress next to Dawn.

"Dawnie I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say what I said, it's just..." Faith struggled to think of what to say next. She bit her lower lip for a moment.

"I'm a slayer, and a slayer with a dark past. I've been in jail Dawn, I'm not exactly the picture perfect person you see me to be." Faith said carefully. After much silence, Faith opened her mouth to say more, but found a quiet voice beating her to the draw.

"But that's just it Faith." Dawn said quietly, and after a few moments, she completed her sentence. "I do see you to be perfect...you're perfect to me."

Dawn's words silenced the slayer, and Faith found herself unable to find any words that suited the moment. Instead she gently picked Dawn up in her arms, turned her to face her and looked into her eyes.

"Dawnie you don't mean that." Faith didn't know if she was asking it as a question or telling Dawn not to mean what she'd said. Dawn just looked at her, the tears stopping but still staining her red cheeks. She smiled slightly.

"But you are. You're this great Slayer who turned evil and then got thrown in jail, then fought against all the odds to get back into everyone's books as a good slayer again. Despite the fact that you were turned to the bad side for a while, that doesn't mean you are bad. You always had a good heart, and you still do. You just have trouble showing it." Dawn explained. Faith had to take a deep breath to stop the emotions from reaching her tear ducts, so she quickly pulled Dawn into a tight hug, so that if she did look like she was on the verge of crying, the girl wouldn't be able to see her.

"You don't know how much that means to me Dawn." Faith admitted to her, allowing herself to sniff once, giving it away that she actually did have emotions. Dawn embraced the raven slayer, and for the first time made the once turned evil slayer feel like she really was cared for in this out of control world.

"I think I do know how much it means to you." Dawn replied, comforting Faith.

As they moved away from each other, Dawn saw the few tears slipping down Faith's cheeks, and instantly wiped them away gently with her thumb.

"You were right Dawn. You are a young woman, and you deserve to be treated like one." Faith told her. Dawn smiled appreciatively, but wasn't exactly prepared for what came next.

Faith moved forwards, and Dawn thought it might be for another hug, except for the fact that Faith's lips were heading right for her own. Before she knew what had happened, her mouth was burning, full of desire and passion as a heated exchange of kisses between her and the raven slayer left her breathless and begging for more.

The slayer's hands were like liquid fire as they flickered over the soft flesh on her arms and down her sides, gently but at the same time firmly gaining entrance to the smoothen silk of Dawn's back as they pushed under her shirt. Dawn gasped at the contact, shivering as Faith's hands were equally cold and warm, soft and calloused, gentle and demanding.

The kisses continued and Dawn unexpectedly emitted a throaty groan as the slayer's fiery lips moved on to her neck, suckling the flesh between her lips in the way that people did that left love bites. Faith smiled as Dawn became vocal at the simple act of kisses from another woman. She hoped B and Red didn't hear, although she had a pretty good feeling that they were more than distracted right now.

All Dawn could do was comply, and at the moment, that's really all she wanted to do.

She felt her body start to fall backwards onto the bed, and realised it was Faith gently lowering her to the matress. For a few moments they looked into each others eyes, and Dawn knew that Faith was asking if this was what she wanted with nothing more than a comitted gaze. Dawn couldn't reply vocally, so she pulled the slayer's lips to her own as confirmation that she wanted nothing more than to have this beautiful woman show her how much she cared for her, with every inch of her body.

Dawn drew in quick breaths as Faith's touches left her insides screaming for more. She groaned again as Faith's lips kissed her collarbone and all the flesh she could get at before the shirt Dawn was wearing denied her access to more. Dawn closed her eyes, thinking that this could be nothing more than a dream. A really, really, realistic dream that was leaving her feeling like she was going to explode if Faith didn't give her body what it wanted. But she was brought out of her thoughts as Faith spoke.

"Dawnie..." she said urgently, and Dawn looked down to meet Faith's eyes, and noticed the way the slayer was tugging at the girl's shirt. Dawn simply nodded and allowed the slayer to pull her up momentarily, allowing for the removal of her shirt.

As Dawn's bare back came into contact with the cool silk bedsheets she groaned again, her bra being the only upper peice of clothing she was wearing.

Faith's lips hungrily started to explore this newly uncovered flesh with a burning passion she never thought could exist. She noticed the way Dawn would momentarily clench the bedsheets before releasing them, which was all the conformation Faith needed that Dawn was more than ready to go to the next level.

Faith brought her eyes up to meet Dawn's again, her lips trailing all the way up to the girl's. Dawn opened her eyes as Faith slowly lifted her own shirt over her head, and after a moment of allowing Dawn's eyes to wander the slayer's muscly physique, she lowered herself to Dawn again, her lips touching the girl's gently.

Dawn felt slightly light headed at the fleeting kisses, and noticed the way Faith kept eye contact with her. The girl suddenly gasped, but it was silent, as she felt the slayer's right leg move between her own and her thigh press into her center. Her mouth moved, but no sound came out as Faith gently rocked her pelvis against her own, causing an infuriating need to acheive release, but Dawn knew it wouldn't happen through her jeans and Faith's leather pants.

Faith smiled as Dawn tugged at the belt holding up her leather pants, and almost laughed at the frantic expression on the extremely aroused face of Dawn, who in her current state found it hard enough to breathe without having to remove another's clothing.

Faith, using her skilled fingers, used a single hand to unclip her belt and pull it away from her body, before letting it drop to the floor. She unclasped her pants and after a slight struggle managed to remove them from her. Dawn groaned at the sight of Faith in nothing but bras and panties, and realised she was still wearing her own jeans.

Faith noticed Dawn now motioning at her own pants, and smiled, moving her body down so that she could gently remove them from the girl, taking it at an excruciatingly slow pace. Dawn groaned as Faith gently pulled the jeans down her thighs, at the same time letting her fingers trail over the surface of her silky soft skin.

Once the jeans were removed, Faith gently started trailing kisses up Dawn's left calf, slowly allowing her lips to taste the flesh of her soon to be lover and at the same time increasing the need and want in Dawn.

As Faith's lips finally met the material of Dawn's panties, she trailed soft kisses all around their edges, but never allowing for them to come into contact with what Dawn wanted most. Faith noticed how the clenching of Dawn's fists had become more frequent, and she could see the need in the girl's eyes.

Faith once again moved up her body and met Dawn's lips with her own, her fingers all the while easily moving around Dawn's back to unclip and remove her bras. Once this was accomplished, Faith removed her own, and Dawn cried out at the contact as Faith pressed her body flat against the girl's, once again bringing her right thigh up into Dawn's center, still covered by a small peice of material that Faith would soon remove.

But Faith found herself beaten to the draw as Dawn's fingers finally found the strength to pull Faith's panties down to her knees. Faith smiled slightly and kicked her underpants the rest of the way down. Finding that it was what Dawn wanted, she removed the girl's pants also, and savoured the throaty groan Dawn let out as she pushed her thigh into the girl's now naked center.

Faith hadn't expected Dawn to be so compliant, she had thought the girl might even be slightly shy. But now, she could smell the familiar musky scent of another woman ready to be made love to. But this time it was slightly different. Faith cold sense that Dawn was ready, and that she wasn't just doing this as a fling, or as a way to get what she wanted She was doing it because she cared for Faith and wanted to do this as a way of showing her, and also as proof that the feelings they shared were mutual. She could sense Dawn was ready to give herself to the raven slayer. And the slayer was ready to give herself to Dawn.

Their lips met once more, and Dawn drew in a sharp breath as Faith started the rocking again, and she could feel the heat starting to rapidly build inside of her. She looked into Faith's eyes and could see the passion there, the desire and need. But the need the slayer had didn't prepare her for the feeling of Dawn's right leg lifting itself firmly into the slayer's center, so as to provide her with the exact same pleasure that she was giving to Dawn. Faith let out the first groan she had since they'd first kissed and she momentarily closed her eyes before returning her gaze to Dawn's, suddenly realising that the girl was determined not to allow herself to be pleasured unless Faith was pleasured at the same time.

Faith quickly and passionately fused her lips to Dawn's and sped up the tempo. She found it hard to concentrate on keeping pressure because of the fire quickly building in herself as she and Dawn's centers moved against the other's thigh.

Their passions grew and the groans echoed through the room as Faith pushed harder, and they both grasped the other tightly as the feelings raged through their bodies, like a tidal wave hurtling towards the shore.

Faith was the first to cry out as the mixture of pain and pleasure exploded through her body like she'd just been hit by a huge current of electricity, and seemingly this triggered the same reaction in Dawn. But because it was the girl's first time, the feeling was 10 times stronger than what Faith experienced, and the slayer was shocked to feel the girl digging her nails into her back, which had already healed to some extent. Dawn's back arched and she closed her eyes as the last few, furious pumps from Faith forced the explosion all the way through her body and out into the open. Faith quickly dampened Dawn's scream of pleasure with her hand, not wanting Buffy and Willow to hear.

If it was possible for energy to leave your body and vanish into nowhere, Dawn was sure that had just happened to her. It felt like all the tensions she had ever felt had been shoved out of her body by the extreme pleasure she had just experienced with Faith.

Dawn puffed, trying to catch her breath as the slayer gently lay her body on top of the girls, and Dawn could feel Faith's chest rising and falling quickly against her own. After everything she'd heard from people she knew that had had sex and experienced orgasm, she never ever believed that she would be able to experience such pleaure with another person. But her thoughts were interrupted by a voice.

"Was it good?" Faith asked, slightly unsure. Dawn looked into the slayer's eyes, sensing slight doubt radiating from her. Dawn kept breathing.

"Can I...catch...my breath...first?" she asked, erasing all the doubt from the slayer's mind and bringing a smile to her face. Faith planted a kiss on her lips then rolled over onto her back on Dawn's right side.

"You know I think I'm gonna' have to give up smoking in order to keep up with you Dawn." Faith joked lightly as she eyed the small box of cigarettes that had fallen out of her pants pocket which lay on the floor. Dawn looked at Faith.

"You mean there's gonna' be more of this in the future?" Dawn asked, finally able to catch her breath. Faith chuckled lightly and pulled Dawn to her.

"As long as you keep being you, there's gonna' be plenty more where that came from." Faith grinned and passionately kissed Dawn on the lips.

Their post-sex make out session was interrupted slightly by the sound of a thump radiating from Buffy and Willow's bedroom down the hall. Dawn and Faith's ears pricked up slightly.

"Sounds like those two are enjoying themselves." Faith said and grinned. Dawn giggled and wrapped her arms around Faith.

"You know it's getting kinda' late, maybe we should go downstairs and start some dinner?" Faith suggested and looked at the bright smile on Dawn's face.

"Good idea. I'm starved!" Dawn proclaimed and jumped up, putting her clothes on. Faith smiled slyly.

"You certainly must have worked up quite an appetite." Faith teased. Dawn hit her lightly before continuing to get dressed.

They both put all their articles of clothing on before heading downstairs to start dinner.

Buffy hadn't seen Willow like this before.

First she had been instistant on leading her upstairs and forcing her into their bedroom, and then she had torn Buffy's clothes from her body and urged her to make love to her, in her own words "Right here, right now."

Of course Buffy had complied, and the two shared an extremely heated love-making session, with Willow on top, something that surprised the blonde slayer somewhat. Usually Willow was simply happy to allow her lover to be on top and make slow, passionate love to her.

Buffy couldn't help but think it strange that Willow had read from the book Amy gave her right before she went all sex crazy.

But she couldn't help but realise that it was the most productive love-making session they'd ever have. Willow had rocked against Buffy in hard long thrusts until she exploded with a furious need, and Buffy found that her own orgasm seemed to travel through her body like a lightning bolt and it travelled into Willow's body, causing the Wiccan to scream out in complete ecstasy.

Buffy and Willow now lay together, completely spent and drained of all energy that gave them a will to move. Willow was draped over Buffy's body, and Buffy lay underneath, completely happy but also surprised at how passionate her lover had been. She smiled slyly at this and hoped there would be more of it in the future.

"You bet your boots there will be." Willow said, her voice slightly muffled by Buffy's smooth skin. Willow had been tracing light patterns over Buffy's abdomen with her fingers, but now that stopped. Buffy looked in surprise at Willow, who returned her gaze, her mouth slightly open.

"Will...did you just read my mind?" Buffy asked quickly. Willow's mouth moved but no sound came out.

'Willow you're sexy!' Buffy quickly thought to see if she could get a reaction. Willow's face turned a bright shade of red as she heard what Buffy thought.

"I am? Wait, Buffy!...I did read your mind!" Willow said, finally realising. 'oh boy...what now? Can she read my mind too?' Buffy looked at Willow.

"Willow I can. I read your mind!" Buffy told her. They both quickly sat up, in the process, Buffy banged her head against the headboard, emitting a loud thump throughout the house. Willow looked at her in concern as Buffy drew her hand to the back of her head.

"Are you alright Buffy?" Willow quickly asked her.

"Yeah I'm fine Will." Buffy replied. 'fuck that hurt. I can't let Willow think I'm weak for hitting my head and whining like a baby'

Willow gave Buffy a look.

"Buffy! You did hurt yourself. And no I wouldn't think you're weak if you whined like a baby." Willow told her firmly. 'geez that girl's got a potty mouth, I should wash her mouth out with...' Buffy looked at Willow in shock at what the Wiccan thought she should wash her mouth out with. Willow's face turned bright red.

'I did not just say that I did not just say that I did not just say that...oh no Buffy's got that look in her eyes, no Buffy!' Willow even rambled in her thoughts. She couldn't mistake the look of fiery passion in Buffy's eyes.

'I'd like to take you up on that offer Will' Buffy thought mischeivously, licking her lips. She knew Willow had heard her, and they were both still naked. Willow's blush resided slightly as she looked at Buffy.

'Buffy I don't know...'

'It's ok Will...I won't bite...'

"But Buffy..." Willow protested. 'oh man it's starting again...she's going to do it...I just know it...goddess I want her so badly...' the last part pleased Buffy, so she brought Willow down onto her back and started kissing her way down Willow's stomach. Willow groaned. 'that feels so good Buffy'

'I have every intention of making it feel good'

'thank god'

Buffy brought her lips straight away to their destination, and she instantly started to massage Willow's center with her moist tongue and lips. Willow groaned. 'oh fuck...' Buffy grinned.

'now who's got the potty mouth?'

'Buffy...stop thinking and just give me oral already, do you want me to die from waiting?' Buffy grinned and complied, applying the pressure to Willow's nub and pressing harder the more the Wiccan's thoughts begged for it. This time Buffy noticed how all of Willow's vocal signs of pleasure had moved to her thoughts, and Buffy found herself orgasming at the sound of Willow screaming in pleasure in her mind. Buffy liked it because she knew no one would hear them at all.

Once it was over Buffy moved back up to meet Willow's lips and gave her a tender kiss.

'man that was good...'

Buffy smiled, glad that her lover had found it pleasurable. 'you weren't so bad yourself...' they both had to laugh lightly at that thought as they shared a few sweet kisses.

"Mmmm...I can smell something good..." Buffy commented as the smells from downstairs wafted upstairs. Also her slayer sense of smell had alerted her to the food cooking in the kitchen downstairs almost as soon as it had started cooking.

"Must be Dawn and Faith." Willow commented as she stretched her now relaxed and completely sated muscles. That last orgasm had been the icing on the cake. She smiled to herself.

"We should go downstairs and see what they're up to." Buffy said, finding herself unable to resist the tempting aromas any longer. Willow agreed, so they got up and pulled their clothes on before heading downstairs.

As they entered the kitchen, Buffy noticed how close to Dawn Faith was as the girl stood at the stove frying some chicken. Buffy's ears pricked up as her slayer hearing detected Dawn's faint giggle.

"Smells good." Buffy commented, casually entering the room and moving over to the stove. Faith and Dawn both turned, not expecting company so soon. Faith smiled slightly before moving away from Dawn to retrieve a glass of orange juice from the fridge. But not before Buffy's slayer sense of smell detected the slightly musky smell on Faith, and also the over prominant scent of none other than her sister. Buffy tried not to panic.

She moved over to Dawn to pretend like she was looking at what she was cooking, but what the slayer was foccussed on was the smells on Dawn. She smelt like Faith, sweat, musk, the pungent aroma of sex with the raven slayer. Ok, now Buffy was panicking. But she didn't let on. She looked at Willow who sat at the kitchen table eyeing her lover strangely.

'Willow this is serious, I think Dawn slept with Faith. I need you to take Dawn out for a while.' Willow looked suspiciously at Buffy.

'Uhh...are you sure? What do you want me to say?'

'Just tell her we need some coke and ice cream, take her out for a while. I need to talk to Faith.'

'Ok, if you say so...' Willow turned to Dawn.

"Hey Dawnie, I just realised we don't have any snacks for tonight, do you want to make a shop run with me? I'm sure Faith can watch the dinner while we're gone." Willow said to the teenager. Dawn looked quickly at Faith who nodded, sensing that Buffy knew what was going on and that she had some explaining to do.

"Ok, I-I guess." Dawn replied and handed the spatula to Faith, before heading out with Willow.

Once the front door shut behind them, Buffy came up behind Faith who now fried the chicken with enthusiasm.

"So Faith, let's talk about Dawn." Buffy started in a sing-songy voice. Faith winced.

"What about the kid?" Faith tried to act casual. Buffy came up behind the raven slayer, too close for comfort.

"Gee Faith, I don't know. How about the fact that you two both smell like you just had a very productive Fuck session with each other?" Buffy told Faith. Faith swallowed, turning slowly to Buffy, flicking the hot plate off.

"Buffy look, it's not like that...Dawn is a grown woman, she's 18 now. She's old enough to make these kind of choices." Faith tried to reason. Buffy was quiet as she looked into the raven slayer's eyes.

"I don't know what makes you think you can take advantage of her like this, but you are going to stop." Buffy told her in a threatning voice.

"No Buffy, YOU are going to stop!" Faith finally snapped, yelling at the slayer. Buffy backed off, surprised by the sudden outburst from Faith.

"Dawn is not a child anymore. You can't always be there to protect her from life, you know. She has to go out and face it sometime. So it's better sooner than later right? And what better way to face life than with someone who actually cares about her, someone who will always be there for her, no matter what?" Faith told Buffy sternly. Buffy found her heart being wounded at the last few sentences. Faith was suggesting that she had never been there for her own sister, and in her heart, Buffy knew it was true. She had never really been there for her sister.

"What are you saying Faith?" Buffy asked quietly. Faith was silent, thinking of how to phrase her comment.

"I'm saying I want you to let us be together. Me and Dawn." Faith told Buffy finally, as simple as that. Buffy looked away, but wasn't expecting the comment that came next.

"I love her Buffy." Faith said. The shocked slayer looked up at Faith, her eyes wide, unable to comprehend what she had just said.

"You love her?" Buffy asked, not sure she had heard right. Faith rolled her eyes.

"Of course I do Buffy. I know the importance of making love to someone, that's why it's called making love. Because you do it with someone you love. Like you and Willow. I mean, tonight, me and Dawn didn't fuck, we didn't have sex, we didn't have a one night stand, we didn't have a quickie." Faith paused for effect as the words sunk in for Buffy.

"We made love." those 3 words almost made Buffy break down and cry. She never really accepted the fact that her sister was now technically an adult, and never wanted to face the truth about the girl's somewhat crush-like feelings for the raven slayer that stood before her. She never realised that maybe the feelings weren't so crush like, and maybe more love like.

Buffy looked away. She didn't even push away the hand that gently laid on her shoulder for comfort. And hand that she had felt the wrong side of on more than one occassion. A hand that belonged to a raven slayer who had done so many bad things in her life, and was only trying to make up for the wrongs she had done.

"I want you to promise me you'll take care of her." Buffy asked softly as the raven slayer watched her. Faith nodded as Buffy turned to face her. Buffy also nodded slightly.

Just then the front door opened and Willow and Dawn entered with coke and icecream. Buffy hadn't realised how quickly the time had gone.

Willow greeted her lover with a sweet kiss on the lips and an enthusiastic smile.

"We've got coke and we've got ice cream, just like you asked my love." Willow told her. Buffy blushed slightly but was elated at the fact that Willow had called her "My Love". But Buffy could see the questioning look in Willow's eyes. 'did everything go ok?' Willow asked.

'Yeah everything is fine Wills. Faith loves Dawn, that's all I need to know.'

Willow seemed to take in this new information carefully, processing it. But then finally she smiled and put her arm around Buffy's waist. Buffy smiled and put her arm around Willow's shoulders.

"So who's up for movies?" Dawn asked excitedly. Everyone looked at her smiling.

"Sure thing, what's on?" Buffy asked, exchanging knowing glances with Faith. Faith smiled back appreciatively and put a hand on Dawn's shoulder, knowing that everything was going to be ok.

"Well actually there's an old scary movie on TV, its called 'The Blob'." Dawn explained as she skipped to the loungeroom, flicking on the tv and finding the appropriate channel. Dawn flopped down on the couch, followed by Faith. Buffy took a seat in the recliner and pulled Willow onto her lap. The red head giggled as Buffy whispered something into her ear. Dawn shook her head.

"Oh no, the chicken!" Dawn finally remembered, her eyes going wide, and was about to get up to leave when the raven slayer's strong hand kept her where she was. Faith leaned in and brushed her lip sover the girls ear, whispering to her.

"Don't worry about it Dawn." that was all Dawn needed to stay where she was. She leaned into Faith's gentle touch and shivered as the warm lips trailed over her neck.

Willow watched from where she was seated, but Buffy's thoughts reassured her.

'they'll be fine. Just concentrate on us.'

Willow couldn't resist her lover's voice, let alone her thoughts, so she leaned back into the slayer's warm embraced and closed her eyes.

It was a warm summer's night, so the breeze that blew in through the open wound in the wall didn't have a chilling effect on the people inside of the living room.

The curtains were drawn, not allowing for any snoops to be able to see in from the street.

But no one noticed Andariel's figure standing right outside the hole, and as the next breeze gently parted the curtains, the slayer covered in blood and monster slime, caught a glimpse of Faith holding Dawn in a more than friendly way.

It didn't matter how much she tried, she couldn't surpress her anger, so she set off once again into the night to find some vampires to take her fury out on.

She had to clear her head if she was to think up a way to break Dawn and Faith up, for good. She smiled at this thought. It was going to be a long night.

The end, for now!

AN: So, what do you think? I KNOW! I finally wrote it, it took a while, but it's done. The 4th part of my series, and I hope you like it cos it took enough time and effort to write it. I tried to add a few twists, and there might be a few things left unclear in here, I know. But I know what i've left unclear, and I did it on purpose so that it keeps you guessing and using your bright little imaginations until I've written the 5th part! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I am evil aren't I? Well, enjoy for now! Remember my little baroshekees, I want your feedback! My email is at the top, or you could just review this story.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: You know the usual, everything belongs to Joss and Mutant Enemy, I own nothing except for Andariel, which unexpectedly I got the idea for her name from Diablo II. But be guaranteed, it's not the same character, I just unknowingly used her name.

Feedback: email me with comments at: Buffy insists on taking a sickly Willow to the doctors for a checkup. Faith has a talk with Andariel.

Warning: This story contains female/female relationships. If you find that disturbing or just plain don't like it, (unlike me) then please get the fudge out. Straight homophobes will not be tolerated. :-P Joking. But seriously, it's a fact of life, so learn to live with it. Either that or get the fudge out.

AN: As you have hopefully noticed, I had to update my other stories because I used Sunnydale instead of California, but I needed a scenery change and wanted it to be set after the 7th season, so sorry if you thought I'd added to my other stories because I hadn't. I might do that sometimes to try and make the whole story make sense and fit together nicely. So I hope it does so far.

Willow awoke to the sound of a slayer snoring in her ear. She woozily sat up straight from her sitting position on Buffy's lap and rubbed her eyes. The TV was turned off and the sun was starting to rise. She hadn't realised she'd been asleep that long.

Willow turned her head to see the beautiful Buffy asleep behind her on the recliner. She smiled. Buffy made a great pillow.

Willow turned so she was straddling Buffy's lap and she leaned down for a soft kiss on the lips. The slayer sensed the kiss and instantly groaned, awakening. She stretched like a panther, flexing it's powerful muscles and yawning, giving off the sense of it's power without even trying. It always fascinated Willow to watch her waking lover stretch and uncurl herself in the mornings.

"Hey sleepy head." Willow said softly as she smiled, her face millimetres away form Buffy's. Buffy smiled, her eyes still partly closed.

"Hey Wills." Buffy replied as she yawned.

Once the yawn was over Buffy let her lips be taken by Willow's in a slow, sensous kiss. Buffy smiled.

"What a way to wake up in the morning." Buffy joked, grinning lghtly. Willow smiled back before continuing her ministrations. Buffy groaned, still trying to stretch out her relaxed muscles, filling her lungs with oxygen.

As Willow kissed her neck, Buffy got a chance to look over at the sofa where Faith was lying partly on her back, partly on her side, with Dawn lying snoozing in her arms. Buffy was sure Faith was asleep until she saw the way the raven slayer's fingers were gently stroking the back of Dawn's hands and tracing small patterns over her skin. Buffy didn't mind the fact that there was a reasonable age difference, or even that they were both women. For some strange reason Buffy was happy that the once inprisoned slayer was taking good care of her sister, and Buffy just couldn't explain why.

Buffy smiled, unaware that Willow had been softly saying her name.

"Buffy?" Willow asked persistantly. The blonde slayer finally looked at her lover, who had a strange expression on her face.

"Hmm?" Buffy asked. Willow noticed the overly happy and mellow expression on her face and put on her resolve face.

"Buffy what is it?" Willow asked. Buffy sighed and motioned with her head towards the two lovebirds. Willow turned her head to look, then looked back to Buffy.

"So?" Willow asked, clearly confused as to why Buffy would be so happy about her sister and Faith cuddling on the couch. Buffy smiled and decided that the raven slayer's acute sense of hearing would hear them, so she used her thoughts.

'Faith is being so gentle with Dawn. It just amazes me.'

Willow turned to look at them again and finally slowly turned her head back.

'Faith's awake. She's stroking Dawn.' Willow thought slowly, as if unsure of what she should say. Buffy nodded.

'She hasn't pushed her away, she hasn't pulled her close and demanded sex, she's just holding her and loving her.' Buffy smiled as she saw Willow's face soften. Willow smiled.

'Is that what you're so happy about? Because Faith loves Dawn?' Willow asked. Buffy nodded and let Willow kiss her on the lips.

Willow happily sunk into her lover's embrace and held her gently, snuggling her head into Buffy's collarbone and closing her eyes. She savoured the touch of the slayer's hands running softly over her back.

"Erggh..." Willow suddenly sat back from Buffy and her face paled. Buffy looked at her worriedly.

"Willow are you ok?" She asked quickly. Willow got up and ran to the bathroom. Buffy shot up and followed her lover only to be confronted by the red head throwing up in the bathroom toilet. The slayer came up behind Willow and placed a hand on her back.

As Willow finished being sick, Buffy grabbed a hand towel and ran it under the tap, then handed it to her lover.

"Thanks." Willow said, wiping her mouth and coughing a few times. Buffy rubbed Willow's back and continued her concerned gaze.

"What happened?" Buffy asked. Willow finished wiping her mouth and stood up slowly, making her way to the basin and rinsing her mouth out. She leant on it for a few moments.

"I don't know Buffy, I just suddenly got all queezy...and...I got sick." Willow replied. Buffy continued being worried.

"Are you ok now?" Buffy asked her. Willow nodded after taking a few deep breaths. She looked up at her lover and smiled.

"Yeah I think I'm fine." Willow reassured her, but Buffy still didn't seem convinced.

"I hope you didn't get anything after last night..." Buffy recalled their long love making session. Willow looked shocked that her lover would suggest such a thing.

"No Buffy! It's not and STD, or...STI...I just...got a bit sick, that's all." Willow tried to counter the slayer's comment. Buffy took Willow in her arms.

"I want to take you to a doctor, just in case." Buffy told her. Willow winced.

"But Buffy..." She tried to argue, but knew the slayer wouldn't have any of it. Buffy held her tighter.

"No arguing Will. You're going to see a doctor and that's final." Buffy told her firmly. Willow sighed. Her lover cared for her so much, under all conditions.

"Come on, let's get you some breakfast." Buffy let go of Willow but put an arm around her shoulder as she guided her to the kitchen.

Faith groaned at the sound of clanging and frying coming from the kitchen. She hoped it was just a dream and that she was really just asleep with the love of her life. Well, she got the second part right, except she wasn't asleep.

She felt the girl shift slightly in her arms and reach up to rub her eyes. Faith allowed for this movement, but didn't let Dawn go.

"Mmphh...what time is it?" Dawn asked sleepily as she yawned. Faith kissed her on the nape of her neck.

"No idea. Breakfast time I guess." Faith replied, alerting Dawn to the ruckuss coming from the kitchen. Dawn groaned.

"Food good, sleep better, sleep with you even better." Dawn said as she snuggled back into Faith's warm embrace. Faith smiled at the girl's joke, even though she knew part of it was serious. Faith managed to get her head over Dawn's shoulder and waited for Dawn to turn her head to face her, then she placed a warm, sultry kiss on her lips.

Dawn couldn't hide a small giggle and she turned in Faith's embrace so that they were facing each other. Dawn wrapped her legs around Faith's waist and moved in for a long make-out session.

"I'd bet you'd taste even better after we've had some breakfast." Faith teased lightly as she ran her tongue over the girl's lips. Dawn gave her a sultry look.

"I'd bet I'd taste even better..." Dawn didn't finish her sentence as she moved in for a long wet kiss, but Faith almost jumped through the roof as the girl slid her hand between her legs and let it stay between there for a few moments, allowing Faith time to understand what it was Dawn had meant by her sentence. Faith blushed slightly, realising that Dawn meant she'd taste even better downstairs.

Faith let out a breath she'd been holding as the hand moved away and wrapped around her waist.

Dawn left Faith with one last, teasing kiss as she got up and made her way to the kitchen to see what was cooking. Faith ran a hand through her messy hair and slowly got up.

"That girl..." she said as she gathered her energy and traipsed into the kitchen after her girlfriend. Buffy was making pancakes at the stove, with Willow's help of course, Buffy had lost count of how many times she'd set the fire alarm off while cooking toast. She was a terrible cook.

Buffy turned to see the dissheveled slayer entering through the doorway and couldn't help but grin.

"Sleep well Faith?" Buffy teased. Faith opened the fridge and pulled out the carton of orange juice, giving Buffy a glare before sculling some juice from the container. Buffy's mouth dropped open. She'd lost this time.

'Faith germs.' Buffy thought. Willow grinned at this thought.

'Dawn seems to like them.' Willow replied. Buffy gave her a warning look. She knew her lover was only teasing her.

"I had a great sleep." Dawn said enthusiastically as she watched the two slayer's going back to their old ways again. Faith looked at Dawn.

"Yeah...me too." Faith decided with a smile as she turned to Buffy. She held out the carton of juice. "Want some B?" she asked, grinning. Buffy turned away and flipped the pancakes onto a dish, handing it to Dawn and then pouring more batter into the pan.

Faith shook her head and poured some juice into a glass for Dawn.

"Thanks." Dawn said happily to both her sister and her girlfriend. Faith sat down next to Dawn after putting away the container of juice and leaned over her shoulder hungrily. Let's just say she wasn't just hungry for food.

Dawn took a forkfull of pancakes and ate it before getting some more on the fork and placing it into Faith's mouth. Dawn giggled as Faith chewed the pancakes, making a yummy noise.

"You've got some on your face..." Faith told her and lent in to lick off the stray peice of pancake. Dawn shivered. Buffy cleared her throat, Faith looked up to see the slayer holding out a plate of pancakes for her.

Faith took the plate, grinning, before digging in.

Buffy made some pancakes for her and Willow before they all finally sat down for a meal at the table. Dawn was very chatty and the others found themselves happy to have the girl there to break what would have been uneasy silences and provide topics other than those concerning certain relationships in the house.

"Well I'm done." Faith finally said as she got up from the table. Dawn looked up at her.

"I'm gonna go take a shower if that's ok." Faith left the room before any of them could respond. Dawn quickly got up.

"You know I better go see if she's got clothes to change into. Buffy she might have to borrow some of your clothes, that's ok, I'll go get them for her." Dawn rushed off, not allowing for any interruptions in her hurried sentence. Buffy was baffled.

"Is she going to do what I think she's going to do?" Buffy asked her lover. Willow took a forkful of pancakes, acting completely innoccent.

"What? Have a shower with Faith?" Willow asked casually through a mouthful of breakfasty goodness. Buffy scowled at her.

"Yes, exactly." Buffy replied. Willow swallowed her food.

"No big deal Buffy, I mean, we've done it before." Willow smiled slightly at one memory of her and Buffy making love while in the shower. Buffy looked away.

"That's not the point." she returned her gaze to Willow, her eyes glistening slightly.

"Then what's the point?" Willow asked. Buffy grinned mischeivously.

"That we'll have to wait for our turn." Buffy leaned in on the now blushing red head and passionately kissed her.

Just when Buffy thought their kissing session would lead to further kissing upstairs and in a bed, Willow broke away.

"Buffy! I just realised, Andariel never came home last night. Do you think she's ok?" Willow asked worriedly. Buffy looked at her lover. She guessed that their daughter's welfare was important to her, no matter how powerful and capable of handling herself Andariel might have been. Buffy sighed.

"Willow I'm sure she's fine..." Buffy started but saw the expression on her lover's face.

"I have to call Xander and get him to come over and fix that window." Buffy said and moved away from her lover, making her way to the phone. Willow pouted.

"Tell Faith when she comes out of the shower to go find her." Buffy said as she picked up the receiver and dialled in Xander's number.

Willow rolled her eyes and went to the fridge for some orange juice, knowing that Faith was probably going to take her time.

The raven slayer entered the kitchen, towelling her hair dry. Willow looked up, instantly noticing Buffy's clothes on her. The wiccan gulped.

Faith was wearing black leather pants, boots, a loose white lace top and a towel draped around her neck. Dawn entered the kitchen after her, unable to keep her eyes off of the sultry and sexy slayer that belonged to her.

"Uhh...Faith..." Willow started quietly, then she shook the cobwebs out of her head. Faith looked at the wiccan.

"Uhh, Buffy wants you to look for Andariel. She didn't come back last night and we're kinda' worried about her, well I am anyway. Buffy thinks she can handle herself, but I think it's better safe than sorry, don't you?" Willow started to babble. Faith smiled.

"No problem Red, I'll just comb my hair and I'll go out on my little mission." Faith winked at her before leaving the room. Dawn sighed and leaned on the kitchen counter. Willow smiled, detecting the romance in the girl's sigh and also in her eyes.

"So was the shower nice and hot?" Willow said, unable to keep herself from grinning and teasing Dawn. She turned to Dawn who instantly blushed, then sat down accross from her sister's lover.

"You could say that." She said as she looked at an interesting pattern on the wooden table-top.

"So I take it you and Faith are getting all serious?" Willow asked. Dawn smiled.

"I think so. She hasn't said those 3 words yet though." Dawn replied as she was unable to take her mind off of her shower love-making session.

"Don't worry. They'll come in good time. I think Faith is really trying hard to make up for all the bad things she's done, and having someone like you who cares for her so much is helping alot." Willow explained to the girl. Dawn smiled, blushing slightly.

"I like to think that." The girl replied quietly. She then shrugged her shoulders.

"But who knows, maybe she really does love me and she's just afraid to say it. I mean, we only got together last night." Dawn sighed, thinking that she'd be stupid to assume that Faith could love her after only 24 hours.

"Or maybe it's like me and Buffy. We loved each other for like 7 years before we were able to say anything." Willow remembered the night she and Buffy had confessed their love for each other. She smiled.

Suddenly the sound of footsteps interrupted their conversation.

"Xander will be here in a while. He said he'll have the window fixed as soon as he can." Buffy said as she went over to Willow and planted a soft kiss on the top of her head. Dawn looked away, suddenly longing for her slayer. But it was as if Faith had read her thoughts because at that moment, the raven slayer entered, hair still slightly damp but otherwise neatly brushed and tangle free.

The slayer went over to Dawn and wrapped her arms around her shoulder's from behind.

"Well I'll be off. Find Andariel and bring her back. You be ok here Dawnie?" Faith asked, more concerned of her girlfriend's welfare than anything else. Dawn nodded.

"I'll be fine." Dawn reassured her, and after Faith gave her a lingering kiss on the lips, she left the kitchen.

Dawn sat at the table for a few moments, but then, unable to restrain herself, she bolted for the front door. She caught Faith by the sleeve just as she was about to exit the house.

"Faith wait!" Dawn told her, stopping the surprised slayer in her tracks. Faith turned to her.

"What is it?" Faith asked. Dawn seemed unsure of herself, and couldn't find the words, so she wrapped her arms tightly around Faith in a warm embrace. The slayer was taken slightly by surprise, but other than that was more than happy at the show of affection from her lover.

"I love you." Dawn told Faith, shocking the raven slayer, who found herself unable to reply at all until Dawn grasped her more tightly.

"I love you too...Dawnie." Faith said, sure that it was what the girl wanted, and sure that it's what she wanted too. She suddenly felt happier somehow after saying that, and could sense the girl's relief too.

When Dawn finally let her go, Faith saw how happy the girl was. She had a beautiful smile on her face as she looked into her lover's eyes. Faith blushed slightly.

Dawn lent forwards and planted a soft kiss on Faith's lips, before moving away.

"You better go find Andariel." Dawn told her, and Faith nodded in reply. Without further hesitation, a very happy slayer left the house to find a very grumpy slayer.

The sun was up as Faith entered the cemetary, and she knew there was no way Andariel could be slaying vampires if it was daylight, but she had a feeling that she would be here anyway.

Faith wandered accross the grounds, passing various headstones, not paying much attention to anything in particular, just thinking of what she'd said to Dawn this morning. Suddenly her senses went off and she spun around just in time to block a head bound punch from Andariel.

They both stared intently at each other before Andariel eased up. She grinned.

"Not too bad slayer." Andariel mocked her slightly. Faith put her arm down.

"Andariel what are you doing here. It's daytime, you know vampires don't hang around long enough to become fried goods." Faith informed her. Andariel laughed slightly.

"I had an all nighter. I needed to pound the crap out of more than one vamp. Come morning I didn't feel in the mood for going back to Buffy's place." Andariel explained as she looked away and started to move accross the grounds. Faith followed her, arms crossed.

"What's up with you Andariel? Who are you anyway?" Faith asked her. Andariel laughed again.

"Oh you know, the usual. Buffy and Willow do a spell, I'm born as their daughter, in the future i have an intimate raltionship with Dawn, I try to make up for what I did, I get sent back in time to protect my own self when Willow gives birth." Andariel explained in a sing song voice. Faith was aghast.

"But...Willow's not pregnant." Faith finally found the strength to speak. Andariel tuned to her, the expression on her face a laughing one.

"Yeah, she is now." Andariel told her. Faith was confused. Andariel turned away from her again.

"She read the spell from the book last night. I could feel it." She entered the last past more quietly. Faith was still in slight shock.

"So...you're their daughter?" Faith asked.

"Yup." Andariel said as she crossed her arms over her chest. Faith thought of what to say next.

"So that's why you're mad at me for having a relationship with her?" Faith asked. Andariel stopped in her tracks and looked at the raven slayer.

"How did you..." but before Andariel could finish her sentence Faith cut her off.

"I'm a slayer too ok Andariel? I can sense these things. The way you're acting expecially." Faith told her. Andariel looked away and they started walking again.

"I do love her you know. And I wouldn't do anything to ever hurt her." Faith explained. Andariel didn't reply.

"And I want you to be happy for us." the last part made Andariel stop where she was, and Faith could sense the hurt that she was going through right now.

"It's just so hard. Seeing her with someone. I mean...I know...I have someone back home, and right now I'm missing her terribly...but just seeing someone I care for so much with another, it does cause alot of pain, y'know?" Andariel looked at Faith with an expression that gave away the fact that she was close to tears. Faith nodded understandingly.

"But I have to live with the fact that Dawn and I can never be...after all I went through..." Andariel's voice caught in her throat and she had to take a calming breath.

"I've seen things worse than anything you could ever imagine. I went to hell for what I did. And you have no idea how grateful I was when I was pulled from there by my family and friends. But when I think of it now..." Andariel let a small tear trickle down her right cheek. Faith prepared herself for what was to come.

"Maybe I would have been better off staying in there." Andariel finished. Faith couldn't hide the shock of hearing Andariel's statement.

"But then...I see my parents, how much they love each other, and me, and my sister, and then Dawn and Xander...and I'm glad I'm here." Andariel added. Faith took a deep breath.

"Well you're parents really care for you, obviously. Dawnie definately cares about you, you know, even though I only got here yesterday. Hey...by the way, did you end up finding that guy that was after me?" Faith suddenly remembered. Andariel looked at her.

"Yeah. Took care of him easily enough." Andariel replied. Faith grinned at Andariel's over-confident-not-so-modest-smart-arse reply.

"Come on, Buffy and Willow are waiting. You don' want to worry your parents now do you?" Faith asked, motioning for Andariel to follow her home. Andariel raised an eyebrow.

"Buffy was never really one to worry, it was always Willow." Andariel replied. Faith gave Andariel a look, and the slayer turned to follow Faith home.

Willow was sitting on the loungeroom couch, half listening to Xander banging away as he repaired the window, half listening to Buffy's phone conversation as she made a doctor's appointment for her. Xander had arrived shortly after Faith had left the house to find Andariel.

"Ok thanks, I appreciate it. Bye." Buffy hung up the phone and Willow turned as her lover entered the room, smiling.

"Appointment is for 3:30 this afternoon." Buffy said as she flopped down onto the couch next to her lover. Willow pouted slightly.

"I still don't see what all the hullabaloo is, I was just a little sick, that's all." Willow tried to argue. Buffy lifted an eyebrow.

"So yeah, it's not really out of the usual for you to suddenly get the urge to throw up during a make-out session." Buffy said sarcastically. Xander cried out and cursed as he momentarily lost concentration and hit his thumb with his hammer. Buffy gave him a lopsided grin before turning back to her now pouty Willow. She put an arm around her shoulders.

"Come on Wills, it's for you own good." Buffy told her as she gave her a quick kiss on the mouth. She tickled Willow's ear lobe with her lips.

"And besides, if you go to the doctor's for me, I'll give you a VERY special reward...later on tonight..." the lust and desire was evident in Buffy's whisper, and it was enough to turn Willow from pouty to speechless and blushing. Buffy smiled and kissed Willow again, this time it was just as there was a knock at the front door.

Buffy rolled her eyes and got up to answer it. She swung the door open and gave a very grumpy look to whoever it was standing on her doorstep. Faith was grinning lopsidedly and Andariel rolled her eyes, pushing past the slayer into the house.

"Andariel the great, as you requested oh Buffy one Kanobi." Faith announced, her grin somehow getting wider. Buffy lifted an eyebrow as Faith strolled past her into the house, allowing Buffy to close the door behind her.

"Andariel!" Willow said and quickly got up to check on the slayer, looking her up and down to make sure she wasn't injured. Andariel did a half roll of her eyes.

"I'm fine mom, really, it's just..." Andariel started but was cut off.

"Look at you, you're all covered in gooey demony entrails and vampire dust." Willow said, beggining to get into her babble mode.

"Mom seriously..." but once again Willow cut her off again before she could finish.

"And where have you been all night? I mean, all nighters aren't good. I mean, I know you had to go on patrol, but we were worried 'cos you didn't come back a-a-and you have to be careful 'cos what if one of those 'nasties' caught you off guard because you were so tired after not sleeping all night a-a-and...you're all covered in gooey slimy demony entrails." Willow finally finished. Andariel couldn't help but smile at the way Willow had accentuated the word 'nasties' and made a little face and did hand actions to go along with it.

Andariel put her hands on the wiccan's shoulders and looked into her eyes.

"Mom...I'm fine." Andariel told her carefully. Willow's brow furrowed, and after a few moments of processing this she nodded slowly.

"Well...ok...I guess if you say you're fine, then you are." Willow replied quietly. She looked at Andariel's clothing.

"But you really could do with a spare change of clothes 'cos I kinda' wanted to hug you, but y'know, demon goo." Willow smiled lopsidedly. Andariel smiled in reply and gave her mom a kiss on the forehead.

"Sure thing mom." Andariel said and then backed away from Willow. Everyone watched, except for Xander who was back to hammering, as Andariel pointed at herself and magically put on a new set of clothes. Willow smiled in wonder, but also had a nagging thought in the back of her head that Andariel might one day loose control like she did.

Andariel grinned at her new outfit, but saw the worried look on Willow's face.

"What's wrong?" she asked. Willow hesitated a bit.

"Well...it's just that...don't you have to be careful about over using the majicks?" Willow asked her. Andariel smiled lightly.

"Don't worry, you already taught me everything I needed to know. Plus, with being a slayer as well makes me stronger and more capable of handling stronger majicks. But even in my time, you're still pretty worried about me using them. That's why I only ever use them for things like new outfits, 'cos I swear, you run up a hell of a clothing bill being a slayer." Andariel explained.

"I'll second that." Buffy said as she stepped up behind her daughter, who was at least several inches taller than her. Andariel gave her other mother a pleased smile, before scratching her head.

"Well anyways I better be off, get back to my apartment and get some rest I guess." Andariel said sheepishly. Buffy gave her a pat on the back and a warm smile.

"Well as long as you're ok..." Willow said and stepped forwards to embrace her daughter in a hug. Andariel turned to Buffy and gave her a quick grin.

"Too sentimental for ya' ma'?" Andariel joked. Buffy gave her a roll of her eyes.

"Just get your ass outta here and get some rest, before I knock you out myself." Buffy warned, but her tone was light and joking. Andariel gave a quick nod of her head, smiling brightly, before she went to the front door and left the house.

"Well that was certainly eventful." Faith said as she entered the loungeroom from the kitchen, chowing down on some potato crisps. Buffy and Willow hadn't even realised the raven slayer had gone into their kitchen, and Buffy couldn't help but want to scorn the slayer for taking her crisps.

"Enjoying your afternoon snack...Faith?" Buffy asked. Faith looked at the packet of chips in her hand and then looked up af Buffy, grinning.

"Yup! You want some B?" She asked. Buffy shook her head and turned to Willow.

"She stole my crisps!!" Buffy whined to her lover. Faith rolled her eyes.

"Buffy, you can get another packet." Willow retorted, thinking Buffy was acting like a little kid. She could feel a pout coming on.

Buffy pouted.

'You are such a pouter.'

'Am not' Buffy pouted.

'Pouter'

'Babbler'

They locked eyes suddenly, and Faith could suddenly see the flame's of desire and lust swimming in their eyes as they gazed at each other.

"Uh uh...not while I'm eating. Why don't you to go out for lunch or something, relax, wind-down, whatever. Anything so that I can raid your fridge." Faith grinned at the last part. Buffy glared at her.

"You keep your hands of my Salt 'n Vinegar rice crackers." Buffy warned her. Faith pulled a face.

"Yuck, anything with rice in it HAS to be good for your health, and that's never good for me." Faith replied, crunching on some more crisps.

"Faith has a point, why don't we go get some lunch before we go to the doctors, maybe It'll help to calm my nerves a bit." Willow said to Buffy. Buffy stopped pouting but looked all sheepish and soppy like a little kid who had been convinced by her mother to do something she liked the idea of, but didn't want to give the impression that she gave in easily.

"Do we HAVE to?" Buffy asked. Willow put on her resolve face.

"Yes, now come one, we're going out for lunch." Willow replied triumphantly. Buffy sighed and went to get her purse.

"Ok, just let me get my purse." Buffy grumbled. Willow shook her head.

Faith watched as the two finally left the house together. She turned to the kitchen, looking at her now empty packet of chips.

"Wonder where those rice crackers are?" she pondered.

The lunch had been more than filling, but with Willow being sick, Buffy didn't want her overeating anyway.

Now they were sitting in the doctor's office, waiting nervously for the doctor to call in Willow. Buffy tapped her foot nervously and Willow tried not to think babblish thoughts, knowing that Buffy would be able to hear them and she might just drive her insane.

The door to the doctor's room finally opened and the doctor stepped out into the waiting room.

"Miss Rosenberg?" he called out. Willow stood up, followed by Buffy. Willow turned to her lover and smiled.

"It's ok Buffy I'm a big girl now. You can wait out here while I see the doctor." Willow reassured her. Buffy hesistated for a moment, but then complied, nodding, smiling and sitting back down.

Willow entered the doctor's room and took a seat in front of his desk. The doctor sat behind his desk and folded his hands on the desk's surface.

"So, what appears to be the problem?" the doctor asked her. Willow took a deep breath.

"Well...I'm not sure but...well I think...I-I think I might be pregnant." Willow said. The doctor sat up straight.

"Do you have reason to worry you might be pregnant?" he asked.

"Well...me and my lover...well...we made love...and I got sick today...so I thought...well I might be." Willow answered. The doctor nodded.

"Well if the sex was unprotected then you have every reason to worry that you might be pregnant. It was unprotected, wasn't it?" the doctor asked. Willow nodded.

"Well then it's most probable that you are, however I can give you a blood test just to be sure." the doctor said getting up to go over to Willow, momentarily feeling her glands for soreness and checking her pupils for light sensitivity.

"It would be much appreciated Dr. Gallsworth." Willow replied.

The doctor went over to his supplies cuppoard and retrieved a syringe which he then used to retrieve blood from Willow's veins.

"I should have the test results for you in several days, until then make sure you get plenty of rest, eat well and perhaps even take some vitamin supplements." the doctor said as he injected the blood into some labelled tubes. Willow nodded.

"Thank you doctor." Willow replied and got up as the doctor led her out the room.

Buffy stood up as her lover came over to her.

"Everything go ok?" Buffy asked her. Willow nodded.

"Yeah everything went fine. He'll have the blood test results in a few days." Willow explained. Buffy smiled and rubbed her lovers arm before leading the way out of the waiting room so they could make their way home.

Faith was just returning from the kitchen with some more chips and sat down on the couch when suddenly someone took her by surprise and sent her collapsing onto the couch on a big heap of human flesh, clothing and cooked potato crisps.

"What the...?!?!" Faith yelled as she suddenly saw the grinning face of Dawn staring down at her cheekily. Faith took a breath and laughed.

"What are you trying to do, break one of my nails?" Faith teased as she quickly flipped the younger girl onto her back and straddled her hips. Dawn wasn't phased.

"No, just trying to have some fun." Dawn giggled.

"So now I'm a source of entertainment huh?" Faith asked her, gripping her wrists with her hand and drawing her face up close to Dawn's. Dawn grinned somewhat evilly as Faith suddenly felt the girl's firm thigh press between her legs.

"Well I'd be lying if I said I didn't find what we did yesterday extremely entertaining on only the highest level." Dawn said matter of factly. Faith grinned and lent down, allowing for the girl to capture her lips in a needy kiss.

"Good thing Buffy and Willow aren't home." Faith teased.

"I'll second that." Dawn replied.

Buffy turned the key in the lock for their front door and stepped inside, followed closely by Willow.

"Faith, we're..." Buffy stepped into the loungeroom and stopped dead at the sight of Faith and Dawn making out pasionately on the sofa, Dawn on top, giggling as Faith did God only knows what to her that she couldn't actually see from her current position.

"Home..." Buffy finished as the two suddenly jumped up.

Willow came up behind Buffy and laid a reassuring hand on her lover's shoulder.

'Buffy it's ok.' came Willow's thoughts. Buffy nodded.

"You better not have touched my rice crackers." Buffy warned as she went to the kitchen. Everyone else in the room let out a breath they didn't know they'd all been holding.

"No, I didn't." Faith replied. Dawn stood up and helped Faith up as well.

"Hey Faith, are you going to stay for dinner tonight?" Dawn askedm instantly feeling the tension in the air. Faith scratched the back of her head.

"Actually Dawnie I gotta get back to my apartment for a few things before I go out patrolling tonight, so I probably wont see you till tommorrow morning." Faith told her. Dawn nodded.

"Oh ok. Slayer duties. I understand." Dawn replied. Faith instantly felt bad but this time she had to leave for real, not just because she was afraid of being in love with someone.

"Well I better be off now, so I'll see you all tomorrow ok?" Faith said.

"Yeah sure, have a good night Faith." Willow said warmly.

"Yeah Faith, don't let the bed bugs bite." Buffy teased lightly from the kitchen. Dawn walked Faith to the door, holding onto her arm tightly.

"I'll miss you." Dawn told her as she opened the front door. Faith smiled.

"I'll miss you too, but don't worry, it's only about 12 hours." Faith told her. Dawn smiled half heartedly.

"Ok. See you tommorow then." Dawn said and pulled her lover in for a passionate kiss. Faith hated to break their precious moment, but she had to get going. She finally broke their kiss.

"I love you Dawn." she said sincerely, smiling warmly. Dawn blushed.

"I love you too Faith." Dawn leant up for another quicky kiss before Faith slowly left the closeness between them and left the house. Dawn let the front door close, then she sighed, a slightly dreamy look on her face. Willow noticed this instantly and grinned.

"It's nice isn't it?" Willow asked. Dawn turned to her.

"Huh?" she asked slightly dopily.

"Having someone who loves you as much as you love them." Willow filled in the gaps for Dawn. Dawn smiled.

"Oh yeah. It's really great." she said. Willow smiled.

"Well I'm going to go upstairs for a while, y'know, and do teenagery stuff." Dawn grinned and then ran up the stairs.

Willow sighed and went to the kitchen where she found her lover searching for her rice crackers. She came up behind her and wrapped her arms around her, kissing the back of her neck.

"Hey beautiful." she told Buffy who grinned and turned around in her lover's embrace.

"Hey yourself, cutie." Buffy replied.

Willow giggle before they engaged in passionate kissing. Buffy's hands wandered freely as they shared their intimacies. They were just starting to get more frisky when the phone rang. Willow growled.

"I'll get it." she said and stomped over to answer the ringing nuisance.

"Hello?" she snapped into the receiver. Buffy came up to her lover to listen in to the conversation.

"Oh, you already did the blood test? I didn't expect you to do it today...what was the result?" Willow said suddenly focussing all her attention on the conversation with the person on the other line. Willow's face suddenly paled.

"A-are you s-sure?" she asked. Buffy kissed her lover's neck reassuringly.

"Well ok then. Thank's for the new's doctor. Bye." Willow finally finished and hung up the phone, looking as if she'd just seen, or heard, a ghost.

"What is it?" Buffy asked. Willow turned to her lover.

"T-the doctor managed to do my bloodtest today because someone cancelled an appointment, and that gave him some free time. He said normally he would have rung me tommorrow, but decided to do it today to avoid rushing it at a later time." Willow explained. Buffy looked into her lover's eyes.

"Willow what did he say?" Buffy asked seriously. Willow was silent for a moment before she met her lover's gaze.

"I-I'm pregnant." Willow replied.

TBC!!!!

AN: Ok I REALLY had to rush this chapter, I'm soooo sorry to keep you guys waiting but here it is ok? Now remember plenty of feedback I want ppppllleeennttyy of feedback. :-):-)


	6. Chapter 6

Family Values Pt 1.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, except for Andariel of course, she is my own:-) But all the characters from the show belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.

Feedback: Much appreciated. As always, email me at: This is part 6 of "Something About You". YES I KNOW IT HAS TAKEN ME SSSSOO LONG TO FINALLY TYPE IT UP. But my computer got upgraded and I lost all my stories and fan fiction and everything :-( plus I've been in about a year long writer's block :-... anyway basically Buffy has just found out that Willow is pregnant, and just when they're starting to settle into this idea it seems they might not be the only ones with a kid on the way...

Pairing: Buffy/Willow (wouldn't be here if it wasn't) and also Dawn/Faith..

Warning: This story contains love scenes between two females, so if you're offended by female/female relationships or just plain don't want to read sex scenes, then I suggest you get the fudge out. :-)  
Author's Note: On the last chapter I got a review from someone asking if in the future if Andariel was with Dawn that wasn't it like incest. The answer is yes, and I'm reasonably sure that it was all explained in the chapter "Explanations Needed" Andariel's guilt, her punishment and everything that happened to her because of it... but I did it cos well I just wanted to do something a bit different that interested people, not "cliche" or anything yknow.

Another Author's Note[ and refer to flashbacks and/or memories.

It was a relatively warm night, there was a slight breeze blowing, but not a chilly one.

Buffy came out into the kitchen to find Willow sitting at the table eating a tub of yoghurt. She smiled and leaned down to kiss her red-headed wiccan on the neck gently a couple of times.

Willow giggled and pulled Buffy around her for a warm, yoghurty kiss on the lips.

"Mmmm yum, mango, my favourite flavour." Buffy teased as she gave Willow's lips a quick lick then grinned as she slipped her arms around her waist.

"Well I'm trying to eat healthy and stuff, you know, for the baby." Willow said as Buffy nuzzled gently into her hair.

"You know I still find it so hard to believe, that y'know, you're pregnant and stuff...with my kid... It's going to take a while to get used to the idea..." Buffy said as she pressed her lips against Willow's right cheek and breathed out slowly.

"I know... but I'm so glad everything happened the way it did." Willow said. This made Buffy smile and they kissed each other slowly.

"By the way, what did you do with that spell book?" Buffy asked. Willow took another spoonful of her yoghurt.

"I put it in a safe place, don't worry." she replied and put a bit of yoghurt on her index finger and let Buffy suck it off. They both grinned and kissed again.

Faith sat on the back porch, staring up at the starry night sky as she smoked, curds and waves of smoke flowing from her lips. She was thinking about the last few days and everything that had happened.

She found it so hard to believe she'd found this girl, Dawn, and had fallen so completely for her in not even 24 hours.

Just as she was thinking though, she heard the back door open and footsteps approach her from behind.

Hands slipped over her shoulders and slid down her chest and gently held her. She felt the warm lips press against her cheek and slowly make their way to her lips, where she and Dawn held a passionate kiss for atleast 20 seconds before they broke away and the younger brunnette took a seat in Faith's lap.

Dawn rested her softer, delicate body against Faith's warm chest. The raven slayer was so filled with ecstasy at just having this girl in her arms that it took her several minutes to notice that Dawn had a large old book and was flipping through the pages of it.

Faith peered around Dawn's shoulder to get a better look at the old book.

"What you got there?" Faith asked as she nipped gently at Dawn's neck. Dawn giggled.

"Just an old book I found in the attic. Thought I might have a look." Dawn said and flicked through the pages.

Faith smiled and continued her gentle nipping and sucking on Dawn's neck. She was so busy concentrating on giving her a hickey that she didn't notice as Dawn was quietly reading out the words from one of the pages.

Just then Dawn put the book aside, turned around in Faith's lap and locked their lips together. Her tongue demanded entrance into the raven slayer's mouth, and it wrestled with Faith's, setting both of them on fire.

Faith had never felt like this before, she loved the feel of the younger girl's tongue against her own, her body against her own, her smell, her taste and just her in general.

Faith moaned as Dawn made little circles inside of her mouth with her tongue and pressed her crotch against the raven slayer's, moving it back and forth, causing a friction that drove Faith insane with pleasure.

Faith put her hands under Dawn's butt and picked her up in her arms, then pressed her against the nearest wall where they kissed passionately, moaning into each other's mouths.

Dawn unzipped her jeans and firmly pushed one of Faith's hands down there, moaning and groaning as the cold fingers slipped inside of her and started moving back and forth against her wetness.

Faith groaned too as she worked 2 of her fingers into the girl, pressing them against her g-spot and slipping easily in and out of her wetness.

The raven slayer gasped suddenly as Dawn unzipped Faith's jeans and slipped her own two fingers into her waiting cunt.

Faith groaned loudly into the girls mouth and pressed herself harder against her fingers, at the same time forcing hers harder and faster into Dawn's hot wet depths.

"Faith..." Dawn managed to groan as she bucked her hips back and forth against the slayer's hand, closing her eyes and holding on tightly to Faith's body. Faith struggled to breathe, the feeling of being inside of Dawn while having the girl inside her at the same time overwhelming her with pleasure she'd never experienced before.

"Oh God Dawnie..." Faith moaned as she drew the girls tongue into her mouth and sucked on it, entering a 3rd finger into Dawn's wetness and feeling the girl's fingers speeding up their tempo inside of her own hole.

"Faith...I'm...I'm cumming..." Dawn started moaning and gasping in pleasure as her hole started spasming and contracting, Faith's fingers moving faster inside of her, rubbing against her g-spot.

"Dawn...oh baby..." Faith managed to moan loudly as she felt the younger girl's vagina suddenly convulse and tighten around her fingers, her juices running everywhere, exploding onto her hand, the orgasm coursing through the whole girl's body.

Faith gasped as she felt the orgasm suddenly hit her and her insides started getting hotter and hotter until finally she screamed quietly into Dawn's ear as her pussy contracted and released it's warm juices all over the younger girl's hand.

They were both gasping for air now, leaning against the wall and each other. They breathed on each other's lips, hands still inside each other and tangled in hair and grasping clothing tightly.

"Dawn..." Faith said quietly after about 4 minutes and kissed her softly on the lips then looked into her eyes.

"Faith..." Dawn replied, still catching her breath. She sighed as she felt the fingers in her slowly slip out and instead the hand went around her waist to hold her. She took her fingers out of Faith and, to her own surprise, brought the fingers up to her lips and tasted the juices.

Faith's mouth hung slightly open and watched as the girl turned bright red and went embarassed. The raven slayer had never expected the girl to be quite so raunchy, and was quite turned on by the sight of her licking off her fingers.

She leaned forwards and kissed the girl, tasting herself on her tongue and lips. They both sighed.

"Maybe we should go inside." Faith said. Dawn smiled.

"That might be a good idea." Dawn replied and moved away from her raven slayer and went to grab the old book from where she'd left it on the porch.

Faith held open the back door for her and put an arm around her girl as she entered the house.

They were confronted with the sight of Buffy sitting on Willow's lap kissing her passionately. Normally Dawn would have been obliged to go "ew" or something, but Faith spared her having to.

"Getting a little tongue excercise hey B?" Faith asked with a silly grin. Buffy turned away from Willow for several moments.

"I'm sure I'm not the only one that was getting a little tongue excercise just before..." Buffy teased with a knowing look, then continued kissing Willow.

Faith was tempted to growl but decided not to, instead she took Dawn by the hand.

"Come on babe let's go get some shut eye." Faith said and tugged the willing girl along.

"Night Buffy, night Willow..." Dawn said with a silly grin on her face and shining eyes.

"Gnight Dawn." Willow said teasingly. Buffy gave Willow a light pinch.

'Don't encourage the girl'

Willow grinned 'Sorry Buffy'

Dawn looked between the two and could see the wheels turning.

"Goodnight Dawnie." Buffy finally said, and watched as the two left the room and went upstairs to bed.

Buffy snuggled into Willow's shoulder and sighed quietly as she remembered earlier that afternoon when Willow had first told her she was pregnant...

["I-I'm pregnant" Willow said.

Buffy couldn't believe what Willow had just said. She almost choked on her own voice.

"You're WhAt?" Buffy replied. Willow was pale.

"I'm pregnant... to you..." Willow said, this time taking a step towards Buffy. The blonde haired slayer suddenly felt giddy. She swallowed and looked around, suddenly going very pale.

"I don't feel so good..." Buffy said, and with that her eyes rolled back into her head and she fainted. She would have had a hard fall too if it wasn't for Faith walking in at that moment and catching her.

"Woah there B..." she said and quickly scooped her up in her arms. Willow rushed over beside her as Faith carried Buffy into the loungeroom and placed her carefully on the sofa.

"Is she alright?" Willow asked as she gently stroked Buffy's left cheek. Faith scratched her head.

"She looks fine, what made her pass out??" Faith replied as she looked down at Willow. The red headed wiccan ran her fingers through the blonde slayer's hair.

"I told her I'm pregnant...to her..." Willow said quietly. This time Faith almost fainted.

"Woah wait, what? Pregnant to Buffy?" Faith asked as she kneeled beside the red head. Willow nodded.

"Yeah I think it was something to do with a spell I may have accidentally cast." Willow said slightly sheepishly. Faith still looked shocked.

"...Pregnant?" Faith repeated the word. Willow gave a big sigh and looked at Faith.

"I didn't mean to shock Buffy, I mean, I know it is shocking news... I honestly don't know what to feel, I feel like I should be happy and excited, I'm pregnant to the woman I love more than anything else in this world." Willow explained, and sighed again as she looked at her blonde slayer and kissed her lightly on the forehead.

Faith didn't exactly know what to do, but she felt like she had to do something. She put a hand on Willow's shoulder and gave it a light squeeze.

"Hey, if it's any consolation, I don't exactly think Buffy passing out when you told her was a bad thing..." Faith said and tried to smile. Willow smiled gratefully and did something Faith didn't expect...she leaned forwards and embraced the raven slayer in a warm hug.

Faith gulped but patted Willow on the back anyway, and smiled when the wiccan finally let her go.

"Hey, isn't there a Dawn somewhere you're supposed to be seducing?" Willow teased. Faith instantly blushed and struggled to reply. She grinned sheepishly and laughed.

"Um yeah, well um she's um, up in her room um... I...I should probably go check on her..." Faith nodded and quickly got up leaving Willow to tend to her lover.

Willow grinned and shook her head lightly then gave Buffy another little kiss on the forehead.

Faith rapped lightly on Dawn's door before opening it and entering, she knew she didn't have to wait for a reply, seeing as if Dawn was getting changed...hell she'd already seen Dawn completely naked, and she could probably use it to her advantage anyway...

This thought made her grin and as she entered Dawn turned to face her, suddenly looking very amused as she saw the look on her girlfriend's face.

"Hey... what's so amusing?" Dawn asked as she got up from where she had been sitting writing and made her way over to the raven slayer.

"Oh nuthin'... just remembering how hot you look when you're all naked and sweaty after I've made passionate fiery love to you." Faith said and grinned even wider as the younger girl blushed and allowed to be taken into her arms and kissed softly.

"What you doin'?" Faith asked as she gently trailed her fingertips up and down Dawn's spine. Dawn smiled.

"I was just writing some poetry." Dawn replied. Faith raised an eyebrow.

"Poetry huh? Mind if I read it?" she asked and gave the younger girl a little nudge with her pelvis. Dawn blushed.

"Well it's kinda not really finished, and well um maybe you should let me finish it first before you read it. Is that ok?" Dawn said. Faith smiled.

"Awww you don't want me to read it?" Faith sooked and made a pouty face at the younger girl. Dawn smiled and placed a finger on Faith's lips which the slayer instantly sucked into her mouth.

Dawn quickly pulled the finger out and then replaced it with her tongue, for a long deep kiss. When the kiss broke, Faith was breathless.

"No reading my poetry until it's finished, K?" Dawn asked. Faith finally nodded.

"Ok." she replied. Faith leaned in and gave Dawn several little kisses on the lips then pulled her into her arms and held her tightly.

"Oh and by the way Willow is pregnant with Buffy's baby, just thought I'd bring you up to date with things." Faith said. Dawn suddenly pulled away from her and looked shocked.

"Pregnant?? Are you serious??" she asked, her eyes bright as she looked at Faith.

"Yeah, they did some spell thing, and now Willow's pregnant. I know it's a shock..." Faith said. Dawn walked away from her and went and sat on the edge of her bed.

"Shock... Willow's gonna have a baby...you know what this means don't you?" Dawn asked as Faith slowly made her way over to her and sat down next to her on the bed.

"It means...Willow's gonna' have a baby?" Faith quizzed with a slight smile. Her smile quickly faded though when Dawn gave her a sarcastic look.

"It means there's going to be a screaming, crying baby, nappies to change, cradles to be rocked, Willow with her top up breastfeeding..." Dawn started, but went silent at the last part. She looked at Faith who had a raised eyebrow.

"Ok well that last one was a bad example." Dawn shifted her weight and turned to face Faith.

"But you know what I mean. It's going to change the whole household. Not that it's exactly a bad thing, it's just going to take a lot of getting used to." Dawn explained. Faith bit her lower lip.

"What about if we want to eventually have a baby?" the sentence exploded out of Faith's mouth without her even realising it, and she quickly drew in a breath when she saw Dawn look at her in shock.

"I mean, not that we will, would, I mean, just forget I said it." Faith suddenly got up, but was shocked to find Dawn had gripped onto her forearm and was pulling her back down. Faith threw her a questioning glance, but finally sat back down and faced Dawn.

The wheels were turning in Dawn's head, and she was silent before she finally opened her mouth to say something.

"You want to have a baby with me?" Dawn said. Faith struggled to answer.

"I know it sounds weird especially coming from someone like me, but I mean it's just a thought yknow, I mean, eventually wouldn't you want to become a family and stuff? Once all the slaying stuff is finished with?" Faith explained herself, saying her words quietly and a smile slowly showing at the corners of her mouth.

"Well... I never really thought of it... but I mean yeah, eventually I guess I wanna' have a family and stuff..." Dawn finally said.

"With me?" Faith asked, her cheeks going red. Dawn didn't know what to say. She'd only been with Faith a few days now, but her feelings were so strong and the thought of having a family with this woman excited her.

"Yes." the single word was incredibly quiet, but also sincere.

Faith took Dawn into her arms and kisssed her softly on the neck.

"I love you Dawnie." she said quietly.

"I love you too Faith." Dawn replied.

Buffy suddenly realised it was dark. She wondered why it was dark. Then she realised she had her eyes closed.

She groaned and opened them. She could feel a hand softly stroking her hair and she saw that it was Willow leaning above her.

"Hey sweetie...you're finally awake." the red head said and planted a soft kiss on her lips. Buffy groaned again but didn't try to sit up, instead she lay still and enjoyed the attention she was getting and tried to remember what had happened.

"Baby... you're pregnant..." Buffy said slowly and looked at Willow. The wiccan smiled.

"Yeah, with YOUR baby." she replied. Buffy turned her gaze to the ceiling as the fingers continued to softly stroke her hair.

"I didn't expect it... don't get me wrong, I love the idea..." Buffy reasurred her lover. Willow smiled.

"It's just that it kinda' took me by surprise yknow, here I am thinkin' that chicks don't need protection to keep em from having babies and what happens? I get you pregnant." Buffy said and sighed. Willow grinned.

"And you did an excellent job of it too." she told her with a mischeivous smile on her face. Buffy raised an eyebrow.

"Oh yeah?" she asked. Willow pressed her lips to Buffy's.

"Oh yeah." Willow said with a silly smile and kissed her again.

Willow climbed on top of Buffy on the couch and straddled her hips, then shuffled down a bit so she was lying flat on top of her, kissing and caressing her lover.

Buffy suddenly placed an arm around Willow and swung her around so that Willow was now on the bottom and Buffy on top. Willow giggled wildly but calmed down when Buffy lifted the red head's shirt slightly and started slowly running her fingers over her abdomen.

Willow sighed and smiled lightly.

'Willow's gonna' have a baby' she thought. 'I can't believe there's going to be a little baby growing inside of here... our daughter...'

Buffy's thoughts suddenly made them look at each other. Buffy leaned down and placed their lips together and kissed for several moments.

As their lips broke apart Buffy looked into Willow's eyes.

"Andariel." Buffy said. They both knew what the word meant, and what they were each thinking. This really was Andariel growing inside of Willow, their daughter, who had come from the future to help them and to protect herself from being harmed as a child.

Buffy kissed Willow one more time before they both cuddled for what seemed like hours.

Buffy groaned contentedly as she cuddled Willow on the kitchen chair, and decided finally that now would be a good time for bed.

"Mmmm we better get you to bed missy, you need all the strength you need for our growing daughter." Buffy told her. Willow giggled.

"But Buffy it's only the first day of the pregnancy still, surely we could stay up late?" Willow asked. Buffy got up and pulled Willow up with her.

"No arguing with me, come on, to bed with you..." Buffy said as she guided Willow out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

"We can snuggle." Buffy added as an afterthought. Willow smiled.

"I think I like that idea." she replied. Buffy grinned.

"I think I like it too." she said and took Willow into their bedroom.

They helped each other get into their pyjamas then after a few minutes of kissing, Buffy pulled back the quilt on the bed and helped Willow in, then turned off the lights and slid in next to her.

She wrapped her arms around her red headed lover and kissed her gently.

"Good night Willow, I love you." Buffy whispered as she listened to her wiccan already getting drowsy.

"G'night Buffy, I love you too." she replied.

They both drifted into a peaceful sleep together.

Meanwhile in Dawn's room Faith and Dawn had done the same not long ago, and were now both dozing in each other's arms.

The house was quiet with the sound of lover's sleeping.

The End (Until The Next Chapter)

Well I reaaaalllly hope you liked this chapter. I know it wasn't very long and maybe not as detailed as it should have been, but I kind of liked the way I set it out and stuff with the flashback. I hope it will tide you lot over until the next chapter. As I said, sorry it took so long but I have had a serious writer's block :-( plus I lost all my previous work. So yeah hope you enjoy and please, review, review, review :-D.


	7. Chapter 7

Family Values Pt 2.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, except for Andariel of course, she is my own:-) But all the characters from the show belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.

Feedback: Much appreciated. As always, email me at: This is part 7 of "Something About You". Our two couples are still getting their heads around the fact that Willow is pregnant with Buffy's baby, and are now worried about the future that lies ahead for them and Andariel. Drama also ensues for Faith and Dawn.

Pairing: Buffy/Willow (wouldn't be here if it wasn't) and also Dawn/Faith..

Warning: This story contains love scenes between two females, so if you're offended by female/female relationships or just plain don't want to read sex scenes, then I suggest you get the fudge out. :-)

A/N: Yes I know it's been probably a good year or two since I've posted here and I really apologise for the delay for those of you that have been enjoying my story so far. Have had alot of problems involving life and such and inability to write anything :(

Faith came in the door of the Summer's residence, smiling and happy, excited that she would finally get to spend a cozy night at home with her girl in front of the TV.

As she made her way through the house, calling out Dawn's name, and no reply came, she started to panic. Her eyes becoming somewhat dilated, a slight sweat on her brow as she ran up the stairs and back down again, all the while calling out her lover's name with more need, and with fear.

She ran back into the living room where she finally saw Dawn seated in the lounge. Faith suddenly sighed a breath of relief. She moved over to the smaller girl who's back was to her, and placed a hand on her shoulder with a slight smile.

Suddenly she gasped as the girl turned to ash underneath her touch, nothing left but a pile of dust on the couch. Faith let out a cry, holding her hand to her stomach as she stumbled back.

As she swaggered backwards, a hard foot was planted in her back, snapping her head back and pushing her into the couch. Winded, she turned to see her attacker. Her mouth dropped when she saw who it was.

"Buffy?!?..." she gasped.

The blonde slayer frowned and grabbed Faith by the neck, almost crushing her windpipe as she threw her into the mantlepiece.

'This can't be happening' she thought to herself as she sucked air into her lungs quickly, only to cry out in pain as a sharp sensation splintered it's way across her chest. A droplet of blood trickled down from her right eyebrow and fell onto her cheek, continuining to make it's way down.

"Do you really think Dawn would want you?? An ex-crim? Traitor? Who would betray her in a second?!?" Buffy hissed at her. Faith shook her head.

"You're evil, slayer, face it. You could never be accepted into the arms of a Summer's girl." Spike stated flatly, surprising Faith with his presence to her right.

"No..." she breathed, wondering if it was even barely audible.

"You don't deserve her. You don't deserve happiness!" Willow snapped from her left. Faith turned her head to meet the green eyes, gasping for breath now. She closed her eyes at the thought of their jeering expressions, as their taunts grew louder and louder, the things they were saying becoming harsher, crushing her heart.

She was begging, begging for the hurt to stop, begging for Dawn to come back to her arms... where she belonged...

Faith suddenly sat up in her bed, gasping for breath, sweat pouring profusely down her face, neck, and chest. She cried out, not knowing how loud it was, but it must have been loud enough to wake the sleeping figure next to her.

"Faith??" Dawn quickly sat up and wrapped her arms around the raven slayer, running her fingers through her hair, trying to calm her racked nerves.

Faith turned to Dawn, her eyes searching her quickly before she realised, she was really there... and that it had just been a nightmare...

"Dawn..." Faith gasped and almost collapsed into the smaller girl's arms. Dawn didn't know what to say, she just held her lover tightly, stroking her back and whispering comforting things in her ear. She'd never expected to see her strong slayer like this, gasping for breath and scared witless, shaking and trembling in her arms.

Dawn held her for a long time, the slayer clinging to her like there was no way of letting go, her breath gradually slowing down to a regular pace and the trembling stopping. Dawn ran her fingers through her dark locks of hair and planted a kiss on her forehead.

"It was horrible... Buffy... Willow... they were there and they... they... they told me you'd never want me... t-that I wasn't good enough for you and... " Faith gradually started to explain what happened in her nightmare before trailing off and looking into Dawn's eyes. Dawn pushed a strand of hair out of Faith's eyes.

"It was just a dream..." Dawn reassured her before planting another kiss on her forehead. The slayer's eyes were glazed over as she glanced around the room, as if double to checking to make sure that the opposers in her dream wouldn't be waiting for her in the shadows.

She breathed in deeply, trying to push away the tightness still lingering in her chest as she moved away from Dawn and swung around so that she was sitting on the edge of the smaller girl's bed. She gripped the matress, not too tightly, steadying herself as she tried to shake the cobwebs. Her lover cautiously slipped out from under the blankets and moved over to where the slayer sat.

Faith turned her head to watch as her girlfriend perched herself right next to her, and gave her a grim smile before staring over at the window, to where a half crescent was gently spilling a white glow into the room. Dawn placed a hand on her slayer's leg to comfort her, saying nothing but rather letting her know that she was there for when she'd be ready to talk.

Andariel stalked through the dark graveyard, inhaling the thick, deathly scents she was surrounded by deeply into her lungs, trying her best to track the scent of that rat bastard that had managed to evade her. She cursed silently under her breath as she tried to contemplate how he managed to in the first place.

At first she'd been following the skulking vamp, no problem. Wanted to give him a nice little surprise, so she tapped him on the shoulder. After he turned around things got a little hazy... she thought about it... he moved alot quicker than normal vamps did that was for sure, in fact... she wasn't sure if she'd seen him move at all...

She stopped in her tracks as she thought that last bit over, replaying the scene where he escaped in her mind. Frowning it became evident, this guy probably wasn't a vampire after all but, something completely different and of a higher power...

And that's when it hit her...

No... literally... something had just hit her square in the back of her head.

She winced in pain and stumbled forward, spinning around as she did so to face her attacker. It was that vampy-crossbreed-higherpower-guy again. He smirked at her.

"What's the matter little girly, too fast for ya?" he taunted, crossing his arms over his chest, rather quite confident in his own abilities. Andariel winced as she held a hand to the back of her head where he had hit her, then pulled her hand back around to witness the wet spots of blood now covering her fingertips. This wasn't right... her being snuck up on and wounded like this just didn't make sense.

She looked around him and took note of the fact that this guy also had no weapon. Her mind boggled, struggling to find an explanation for this whole, insane situation.

"Not at all in fact, I needed that warm up, what say we go a round?" she finally replied to him, steadying herself and ignoring the throbbing pain now starting up at the back of her head. He grinned at her and cackled. She screwed up her face.

"Stupid Slayer, I'm not here to fulfill your cravings for bloodlust. I'm simply here to pass on a message." He stated simply. Andariel ignored his statement and lunged at him, preparing to land one square in his nose.

Instead she found herself hitting the dirt.

"What the..." she gasped as she realised he'd disappeared right in front of her, throwing her off balance. She snapped her head around quickly to face the vampy-teleporty guy as he cackled manically at her. She growled under her breath.

"You're really not going to get anywhere Slayer. Like I said I'm just here to pass on a message, now, do you want to hear it or not?" He asked, still unable to control his urge to laugh under his breath. Andariel pushed herself to her feet, brushing off her black tank top and picking some leaves out of her hair. She decided to give in.

"Fine what is it?" she demanded, clearly unimpressed by any of these going ons. She couldn't hit him, there was no point trying, he'd just do that stupid teleport thing again. And if she got into a fight with him no doubt it wouldn't be a fair one.

The guy straightened himself out and finally managed to stop laughing.

"My sources are to tell you that the end is coming. For you, your friends, your family... for humankind as you know it." he told her simply with a slight smirk. Andariel rolled her eyes.

"Gee where have I heard that one before." she stated, clearly unamused by this little 'message'. The vampy guy scowled at her, before suddenly vanishing. Andariel looked around before wondering what the hell had just happened.

Before she knew it, she was slammed against the nearest tree, her skull once again making contact with a hard object and sending a shattering pain throughout her entire body, coiling itself along her spine and down to her toes. She cried out quietly in pain as the hand around her throat pushed her harder against the tree and tightened it's grip, constricting her air flow greatly.

The vampy guy placed his face close to hers, snearing as he looked into her eyes.

"Best take the warning, slayer... I'd highly advise it..." he told her in a threatening tone, tightening his grip again to the point where she could almost not breathe at all, and then before she knew it he was gone.

Andariel fell over onto her knees, gasping deeply for air and then moaning in pain as she clutched at the back of her head. She could feel there was more blood there now and an open wound. It wasn't bleeding profusely but it would have to be seen to. The pain alone was enough... she felt like someone was pummelling her head with a pair of mallets. And not the rubbery kind either.

Swallowing hard and gaining her bearings, she slowly stood up, taking another breath to try and calm her nerves.

She had to get this information back to Buffy and Willow, if this was what she thought it was... then they were all going to be in for a hell of a time the coming few months.

Dawn had been sitting by Faith's side on the edge of the bed for quite some time now. She guessed maybe, half an hour? But her judgement of time was poor, it's why she had an alarm clock right beside her bed and the whole family knew without it, there would be many a times of dragging the girl off to school at lunch time.

As her mind started to wander a voice finally broke the silence.

"It's not your fault, Dawnie."

Dawn looked up to see those beautiful brown eyes looking into her own. She smiled but didn't understand what wasn't her fault.

"What's not?" She asked as she shuffled around to be looking at Faith more directly. Faith looked down at her feet before gazing back out the window.

"This. Me. My nightmares, they're not your fault." She stated more clearly. Dawn smiled again.

"I know that, I didn't think they were... I know you have alot of ghosts from your past..." the smaller girl trailed off. Faith gave a dry laugh.

"Yeah I do, more than you know. And I shouldn't be burdening someone as young... and perfect... as you with a past like mine." she stated, looking back at Dawn with a seriousness in her eyes she'd never seen before... and was that... a hint of sadness?

"Don't be silly..." Dawn started but was met by Faith snapping back at her.

"That's just it Dawn I'm not being silly. You're so innoccent. And you've had to deal with so much in your own life already the last thing you need is a criminal like me throwing all her fears and worries onto you. It's not fair..." she finally shook her head and looked away. Dawn opened her mouth to say something but couldn't find the words.

Faith stood and went over to the window, staring out at the moon as if it was calling to her. She was staring, off in her own world for quite some time before she finally came around. She turned to face her lover. Dawn wasn't sure what to do or say, so she just smiled in the most comforting way she could.

Faith's eyes gradually softened as she looked into that beautiful gaze of her lover's before eventually sighing. She moved over to Dawn and kneeled before her, grasping her hands gently. Dawn enjoyed the sensation of the slayer's strong, calloused fingers tenderly stroking her soft hands.

"I've just... never had feelings like these before, y'know? Especially not for someone who's sister was practically my mortal enemy at one stage." she chuckled at that last part as Dawn grinned back at her. Faith's smiled gently up at Dawn.

"I don't want to burden you... and I don't want to screw things up for us." she finally stated.

Dawn nodded. She was starting to understand her raven slayer more and more by the day. Yes she was strong and tough on the outside. Yes she could wrap you up in her arms and make you feel like you're in the safest place in the world. Yes she was hard to get to open up. And yes, she had a heart of gold that all this time was just waiting for someone to show her what love really was, and to give her a chance.

"I know that... but I also just want you to know that I want to be there for you, every step of the way." Dawn told her firmly. Faith smiled and stood up, gently placing a kiss on her lovers lips.

Dawn grabbed faith by the waist of her boxers and pulled her back into bed with her. Faith laughed as she fell half onto the bed and half onto Dawn. The younger girl giggled and her eyes shone as her raven slayer gently moved her body above her, stretching out along Dawn's length like a panther.

Their lips fused together, a deep passion rising between them as Faith gently slipped her tongue into her lover's mouth. Dawn moaned quietly as the raven slayer kissed her deeply and longingly before grently trailing her lips down her chin, to her neck, and starting to kiss her way down to her belly where she suddenly stopped.

Dawn gave Faith a questioning look as she gazed down at her.

"Faith.. what's wrong?"

The raven slayer was quiet for a moment, before laying a few more fluttering kisses on the pale skin before her. She looked into Dawn's shining blue eyes.

"Before me... did you ever..." Faith started, not actually finishing the question but her gentle nudge let Dawn know what she was talking about. Realization finally set in and the younger girl turned a bright shade of red.

"N-no... I mean I never.. " she stammered over her words, illiciting a cheeky grin from Faith. Dawn was exasperated but finally smiled.

"I was saving myself ... f-for someone I loved..." she finished her sentence.

Faith's expression softened and she kissed Dawn's belly a few more times.

"You won't regret it... baby... there will never be another..."

Dawn fully understood what her raven slayer was saying. She gently tugged on Faith's shirt and pulled her up for a deep, loving kiss.

The slayer could swear it was as if she was melting into the younger girl, and even the simplest of things, like her touch or her kiss, would make her heart burn and crave for all the things she never dreamnt of ever happening to her.

They shared a slow, passionate kiss, letting each other feel their deepest emotions and fears, sharing them with one another, holding each other tightly enough to let the other know they would never leave their side.

And as Faith finally fell asleep holding the most perfect girl in the world in her arms, she finally had nothing but peaceful dreams.

Buffy awoke to the sound of the front door unlocking and slowly creaking open.

'what the... Dawn... I bet she left that door unlocked again!' she thought to herself as she finally groaned out loud.

It had been so perfect. She'd been dreaming of a gorgeous mansion, and it was all hers and Willows. They would just lounge around in front of their widescreen Tv all day, occasionally playfighting or having a makeout session. Then they'd have dinner as a family, her, Willow, Dawn, Faith, Andariel, Reeanus... all there. Laughing and chatting, throwing peas, plates or whatever was readily available.

Buffy groaned again, this time gradually managing to pry herself from Willow's grip. The wiccan screwed up her face and mumbled something about elephants under her breath as Buffy scooted to the edge of the bed, feet over the edge and ready to get up. Buffy snickered to herself at Willow's musings in her sleep and leant over and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

This roused a much louder comment and/or possible threat from the Red head and Buffy wasn't quite sure what to make of it.

"That's not the place!" was what Willow had stated.

The slayer shook her head and finally got up, sneaking out of the room and making her way quietly to the balcony. She peered over the edge. Her slayer sense wasn't hinting to anything particularly evil... perhaps Faith had gone out for some late night dusting and just come back.

Dragging her feet along she went over to the stairs and made her way down, her ears pricking as she heard the light switch come on in the downstairs bathroom.

'Definately must have been Faith' she thought as she trudged her way over to where the pale light was now shining out from under the bathroom door.

She pushed it open and was about to say something about leaving the door unlocked when she saw none other than Andariel, sitting on the edge of the bathtub and holding a cloth to the back of her head. Buffy's mouth hung open slightly as she eyed her daughter up and down, noticing the blood covering cloth being held in place by Andariel's hand.

Andariel looked up, her face somewhat pale, her shirt covered in some dirt stains and bruising around her neck evident.

"Hi mum..." was all the managed to get out before Buffy quickly rushed over and threw her arms around her.

"You stupid girl!! What did you do? Why are you bleeding?? You are NEVER going to hear the end of this from me!" she started going into a fit, Andariel wasn't sure if it was worry or anger driven, or both.

"It's ok... it's just a bit of a cut on my head... and some bumps and bruises..." The red head tried to fight back but she could feel one of Buffy's hands tightly clasping her shoulder while the other one took place of holding the cloth to her head injury. Her blue eyes snapped down to meet her daughter's. Andariel instantly knew this look... and awaited the on-coming lecture.

"Bumps and bruises??" Buffy pulled the cloth away and inspected the cranium wound, slightly gaping and still dripping blood from it.

"That's going to need stitches and you could have brain trauma, or you could have gone into a coma or bled to death or.. or.. " Buffy struggled for words. Andariel tugged at Buffy's shirt.

"Mum..." Andariel whispered out. Buffy glared down at the sore women before her.

"What?!?" she snapped. Andariel sighed.

"They gave me a message." she replied.

Buffy bit her bottom lip and pressed the cloth tightly against Andariel's head.

"What message?"

"They warned us... they basically said the end is coming... for all of us... " Andariel winced as she placed a hand at her neck to rub at some of the tenderness there. Buffy watched her carefully.

"And what attacked you... they were strong?" she asked, her tone one less of anger now, but still serious all the same. Andariel gently nodded and then moaned as she realised that was not a great idea for her pulsing cranium. Buffy shifted slightly, her hand on Andariel's shoulder now gentle and worried.

"So... this is bad ... right? I mean you're all future girl... is this where the big bad comes in?" Buffy looked at Andariel for a sign, hoping that her fears and worries would be wrong and that this was just some demon that had taken advantage of her daughter, trying to scare her, trying to break up their family.

"Yeah although, I didn't realise even their message senders could pack such a punch." she laughed gently then quickly stopped as Buffy's hand gave her shoulder a warning squeeze.

"That's not the point... you do realise you could have died out there tonight?" Buffy asked, a tone of worry suddenly in her voice. Andariel sat silent for a bit.

"I didn't know..." was all Andariel could say before Willow suddenly entered the bathroom.

"Oh my god, Andariel what happened??" the wiccan suddenly rushed over to her daughter's other side and started looking at her all over with panic in her eyes.

"She had a little run in with a messenger of a big bad." Buffy stated simply, giving Willow a look who instantly returned it with one of fear.

"Oh no... are they... are they after... our baby?" Willow suddenly asked, clutching at her stomach and glancing between Buffy and Andariel. The blonde slayer quickly grabbed Willow's left hand and squeezed it tightly, looking deeply into her eyes.

"No one is going to harm our baby sweetie... not if I have anything to say in the matter." Buffy told her. Willow returned it with a faint smile.

"They are after me... well... unborn me... if they can kill me as a baby then the balances between good and evil will be tipped towards the favour of evil..." Andariel stated, her eyes weary, and her statement not one that spoke of confidence in herself or of the women she was surrounded by. Willow shifted from her position and removed the cloth from Andariel's head.

"Hold still." she told her.

Andariel did as she was told and listened as Willow softly whispered some words and healed the wound for her completely. She sighed as the pulsing in her head finally subsided.

"Thanks mum." she said with a sleepy smile. The wiccan returned the smile and gently stroked her cheek.

"So this messenger... what did they look like?" Buffy asked, suddenly serious again, and wanting to find out as much as she possibly could. Andariel straightened a little and took a deep breath.

"Kinda vampy, but without the fangs I guess. Very strong, didn't have any weapons. And they teleported around." she explained.

A look of understanding suddenly hit Willow's face and she smiled slightly.

"I think I know what that is. I think... I mean... it sounds like one..." she trailed off, rambling slightly. Buffy looked at her intently.

"Sounds like one what, Wills?"

Willow took a breath and glanced between Buffy and Andariel to make sure she had their attention.

"Well it sounds like a Glimmer..." she stated. Buffy and their daughter waited for her to continue but when she didn't, Andariel intervened.

"A glimmer?" she looked almost puzzled. Willow nodded quickly before realising she needed to explain it a bit more thoroughly.

"A Glimmer, they're like... a messenger for the demon world... they uhmm are normally right hand mans of high up powers in the evil world. They don't normally make their presence known around human's and so not a whole lot is known about them. Being a bringer of bad news, after they've brought the news, the person they brought it to is normally dead... " Willow realised she was starting to ramble a little and she decided she should get straight to the point.

"They're strong, fast, and they can teleport themselves around. Hence the name Glimmer." she finished up.

Buffy bit her bottom lip.

"So we should probably start organising huh?" the blonde slayer asked her wiccan. Willow smiled lightly.

"Yeah looks like we're gonna have one hell of a battle ahead of us."

Buffy sighed.

"Come on And, we better get you some rest you've had a rough night." Buffy stood up, followed by Willow who stood on the other side of Andariel to steady her as she got up. She smiled thankfully at both of her parents as they escorted her to the lounge room, where they pulled out the sofa for her and got her into bed.

Buffy wandered into the kitchen and poured herself a cup of juice. Sighing she sipped on it carefully and looked out the window. She turned and smiled as her wiccan came up behind her and wrapped her arms around her waist.

"The sun's coming up." Buffy stated.

"Mmmm." Willow just placed a few kisses on her slayer's neck, sensing the tension that lay there.

She held onto her slayer for quite some time in silence before finally speaking.

"Do you think... our baby... Andariel... can we keep her safe?" Willow asked, her voice filled with a tone of fear that Buffy couldn't help but admit sent a shiver down her spine. She turned in her wiccan's arms and placed her own around the girl's smaller frame, holding her tightly.

"I promise you... nothing's going to happen to our baby..." Buffy's words were sincere, and she wanted nothing more than for them to be true. And as the sun came up a little more, she was determined that no matter what, no one, nothing, was going to hurt her and Willow's daughter.

Dawn awoke to the sun brightly shining in her eyes. She groaned and tried to block it out, stretching and turning around in the arms that were holding her, facing her lover. Faith grinned.

"Morning baby." she whispered as she planted a little kiss on Dawn's soft lips, and watched smirking as the girl tried to rub the sleep from her eyes and made groaning noises as she continued to stretch.

"Mornniinngg..." Dawn yawned and snuggled further into the arms of her slayer, enjoying the closeness and the warmth, and also enjoying the sight of Faith's perfect breasts hiding under her shirt, nipples slightly erect and almost beckoning to Dawn from underneath the material.

Without another word Dawn pushed the raven slayer onto her back, grinning. Faith was somewhat surprised by the action but nonetheless enjoyed the attention she was now getting from the girl she loved more than anything else in the world.

Dawn pulled her lovers shirt up, exposing her voluptous breasts to the cool air which caused her nipples to harden even more. Faith shuddered, a warm fire starting to burn inside her as Dawn looked into her eyes with a look of pure lust, before hungrily wrapping her lips around her right breast. The raven slayer moaned and arched her back, gently entwining her fingers through Dawn's long brown hair and holding her close against her body.

"Oh baby..." she murmered, biting her bottom lip and watching as her lover gently sucked and licked her nipple, grinning before moving to the left one to share the attention. Faith closed her eyes and moaned, waves of pleasure washing over her body and all coming to rest to the place where she wanted it the most.

Sensing her slayer's need, Dawn gave her nipple one last lick before slowly starting to kiss her way down her abdomen.

Faith moaned more, begging for Dawn to give her what she needed, when she suddenly noticed that the kisses and touching had stopped. She looked down to see a very pale Dawn and instantly became worried. She sat up and helped Dawn to sit up properly as well.

"Dawnie what's wrong??" Faith quickly asked her, looking her over, feeling her forehead, trying to find out what had suddenly overcome her girlfriend.

"I... I don't feel so well..." Dawn muttered and finally shot up and ran out of the room. Faith was speechless but quickly got up and followed Dawn to where she finally ended up...

The poor girl was bent over the bathroom toilet, heaving her guts up, hanging onto the bowl like it was her best friend. The slayer quickly bent down and helped Dawn hold her hair back out of the way, rubbing her back gently and waiting for the waves of sickness to stop.

"Dawnie?..." Faith waited as the girl finally managed to stop being sick and coughed up the last bits. She looked up at the slayer with a bit of a smile and tears in her eyes.

"Yeah I'm ok. I just... got a little sick ... probably something I ate." Dawn responded before taking a cloth from Faith that she had dampened for her and wiping her mouth with it.

"You sure?" Faith asked as she helped her girl stand up and watched as she rinsed her mouth out with some water. Dawn nodded as she spat out the last of it.

"Yeah I'm sure... I feel alot better now." she stated before smiling and wrapping her arms around her strong slayer. Faith held her tightly and stroked her back.

"Come on lets take you downstairs, get you some juice or something to help settle your tummy." the raven slayer said gently as she took Dawn by the hand and led her downstairs. Dawn smiled gratefully and kissed her on the cheek as they entered the kitchen and Faith poured her a glass of orange juice.

Faith had noticed Andariel sleeping on the pullout sofa bed in the lounge room as she'd been taking Dawn through it and wondered what had taken place while she and her lover had been asleep. She looked over to where Willow was muching on some peanut butter toast and Buffy was reading the newspaper, a piping hot cup of coffee waiting at her fingertips. Willow leant over and tried to read the page Buffy was looking at which caused her Slayer to quickly take a nibble on her Wiccan's ear lobe. Willow giggled wildy and went back to her toast, watching Buffy who was now grinning as she continued to read.

"Morning Buff, Morning Wills." Dawn greeted them as she reached for a box of cheerios out of the cupboard then rummaged through the fridge for the milk.

"Morning Dawn, Faith." Buffy replied as she continue to read, turning the page of the newspaper.

"Morning B, Morning Red." Faith grinned and watched Willow smile.

"Morning lovers, how did you two sleep?" Willow asked as cheerfully as possible.

Dawn poured some cereal and milk into a bowl and started to munch. Faith wandered over as Dawn took a seat at the breakfast table, leaning over the shoulder of her girlfriend and waiting as Dawn fed her a spoonful of her cereal.

"Can't complain." Dawn answered finally as she took a spoonful of cereal for herself. Faith nodded.

"Yeah not bad, and what's up with Andariel on the couch?" Faith added. Buffy put her paper to one side and started to sip her coffee as she sat back a little, looking at Faith with a look that only slayers would understand. The look that forewarned something coming, something evil, that would threaten their happiness and the lives of all the ones they loved if they weren't prepared to face it. Faith caught this look and shifted uncomfortably.

"She had a little run in last night. A messenger. Forewarned of some big bad coming to end us all, and the world... y'know... one of those guys." Buffy explained.

Faith nodded slowly.

"This to do with why she's here?" Faith asked. Buffy nodded in reply. Willow looked between the two of them before adding in.

"I'm not really sure what it is that we have to expect. Wouldn't know where to start really... although .. I guess I could ask Giles, maybe do some research on the Glimmery guy and see if I can track down some info. Maybe get a lead on where we should start anyway." the wiccan smiled at Buffy, recieving a warm one in response.

"If we can find out how to fight it, that's all that matters." Buffy stated, reaching over and taking Willow's hand in her own and squeezing gently.

Faith noticed this display of affection and took a seat next to Dawn, reaching over and placing a hand gently on her thigh. The younger girl looked at ther hand, then at her. They both grinned at each other.

"Oh and I kinda got sick this morning too." Dawn added simply before taking another spoonful of cereal and chewing. Willow's eyes suddenly lit up.

"Sick? What kind of sick? Like... ohh I ate something I shouldn't have sick or like... tummy ache sick or..." Willow ran out of ways to describe the different types of sick she could think of so she gave up. Dawn though about it for a moment.

"I guess it was just sort of like... out of the blue... one minute I was in bed with Faith the next I was like throwing up in the toilet." Dawn looked sheepishly at her cereal, but smiled gently as Faith rubbed her thigh.

"Yeah It was really wierd, right after she and I started... well... " Faith blushed slightly as she recollected her and Dawn's unfinished business. Willow and Buffy both exchanged glances, but Buffy knew by the grip Willow had on her hand to not say anything.

"Uhm.. well, Dawnie... did you eat anything lately that might not agree with you? Anything out of the ordinary?" Willow asked, continuing the conversation. Dawn thought about it for a bit.

"No I didn't really eat anything different. Ice cream, popcorn, the usual." she remembered some of the things she'd eaten recently. Willow looked in thought for a little bit.

"Although I did read this old book the other day, maybe I accidentally cast a spell that made me sick or something." Dawn wondered.

Willow and Buffy both went stiff while staring at Dawn. The girl seemed slightly unnerved.

"W-what's wrong? Guys?" she asked, suddenly very worried. Faith shuffled in her seat.

"Yeah come on guys don't keep us in suspense." she kidded lightly.

"Dawnie... you didn't read from an old book... an old, old, brown book did you? One with something about Sapphiric in it did you? One from the attic?" Willow asked nervously, quickly trying to shake her worries that Dawn had actually found the same book that had gotten her pregnant to Buffy. Dawn's eyes seemed to light up at the wiccan's description and she nodded her head enthusiastically.

"Yeah that's the one!" She replied and grinned, giving Faith a quick look who suddenly seemed very concerned. Dawn's grin faded a little as she looked over at Willow and Buffy, who's face seemed to have turned to stone.

"Oh... goddess..." Willow muttered quite meekly as she realised what this meant.

"Willow... what??" Faith suddenly demanded, wanting to know what was wrong with her girlfriend.

"Faith... that spell Dawn read? Well... that's the same spell that got me pregnant... to Buffy..." Willow finally managed to reply, her voice filled with concern and impending doom.

Dawn's mouth dropped, unable to comprehend what she had just heard. Thoughts racing through her head. Oh god! I'm gonna have a baby! A baby?? A baby with Faith! What am I gonna do I'm so young I can't have a baby what about vampires and monsters and evil I can't have a baby!! This isn't the right time oh crap, what's Faith going to do, she's going to leave me!! She doesn't want some kid with a baby...

But that was the least of Dawn's worries. At the same time Faith's head was on the verge of overload.

An ex crim for a parent??

Me?

No... it can't be... I could never be the parent Dawn would want... she deserves better... oh god... what am I gonna do... run? Yeah I can run, get away, or.. maybe this is just a dream! Yeah just a dream! But what if it's not? No it's not... No Faith don't be stupid you can't run from Dawn... Dawn... Oh god I love her so much... we're gonna have a baby??...

Her thoughts were interrupted at that very moment, as a fist suddenly impacted with her face. Everything went dark.

She could hear their voices. All of them. It was still dark, and she couldn't move just yet, but she could hear all of them arguing.

"She got her pregnant!"

Buffy...

"Buffy it wasn't her fault, Dawn's the one who.."

Willow...

"Hey don't blame me I didn't know!! It was just some scrappy old book it looked like poetry to me!!"

Dawn... my girl...

"Mum why'd you have to hit her, geez..."

Andariel...

Faith slowly opened her eyes, concentrating on the soft hand that was slowly smoothing it's way through her hair. She looked up and saw Dawn looking down at her, so beautiful... so radiant... But she could see there was a look of worry there, and Faith knew she had to make things right between them. Tell her how she felt...

As Faith finally managed to push her way to her feet, Dawn steadying her on her right side, Andariel on her left, she fixated her gaze on the one, very unhappy blonde slayer standing a few feet from her.

Buffy glared at Faith before finally pointing her finger.

"You knocked up my sister!!"

Faith winced and touched a finger to her nose, revealing a tiny bit of blood.

"You knocked me out." Faith replied, smiling slightly. Buffy was exasperated.

"This isn't funny! We already have Willow pregnant, now we have to deal with you two?? And Willow!! You said that book was safe!!" Buffy turned to her lover who instantly become flustered.

"Woah hey! I didn't think anyone ever went snooping about in the attic, and... and.. reading stuff... like old books that are clearly not poetry..." Willow replied, trying to defend herself. Buffy sighed.

"You guys do realise that we're stressing out here on protecting our own daughter from this evil that's coming, and now we have to worry about another kid that's on it's way." Buffy explained, a tone of worry evident in her voice.

"No one's hurting our baby." Faith stated firmly, surprising everyone in the room, but no one more than Dawn. The younger girl looked up at her dark haired slayer, who's face was set to resolve mode. Faith gave her girlfriend a gentle smile.

That had been the last thing anyone expected to hear from Faith, even Buffy's mouth had slightly opened in surprise and she now started to realise that Faith really had changed... for the better.

"Woah... hey.. ok... I think maybe we should all have a timeout... uhm I'm sure that Faith and Dawn have got alot to talk about now and Buffy, Andariel I wouldn't mind your help if you could come give me a hand... I want to try and pull up as much information as I can about these Glimmer guys... maybe get a lead."

As usual Willow was the one who calmed everyone down, gave them all a task to do and made them do it. Faith had never been so grateful of the redhead before.

"Thanks Red.". Faith said as the wiccan managed to shoo Buffy and Andariel out of the kitchen. They gave each other a little smile before Faith and Dawn were finally left to themselves.

"I'm sorry Buffy hit you." Dawn said regretfully as she wiped the rest of the blood from Faith's nostril. Faith grinned.

"Nah it's ok, I deserved it, should've used a condom..." she joked lightly. Dawn smiled and embraced her raven slayer tightly, needing to know now more than ever... that she was going to be there for her. They were quiet for quite a while before Faith finally spoke.

"I won't leave you... or our baby... not ever."

Dawn was slightly shocked... there was something different in her Slayer's voice... but what was it... and then she knew.

She pulled away from Faith and looked into her eyes, and what she was met with was a sight she never thought she'd ever see. Faith was crying...

"Oh god baby... don't cry..." Dawn wiped the tears away and relaxed as Faith again buried her face into the smaller girl's soft brown hair, inhaling that sweet scent of strawberries and willing for the tears to stop flowing.

"I meant it when I said I wanted to have a family with you..." Faith managed to choke out. Dawn smiled.

"I know... I meant it too... I just didn't expect it so soon." she grinned as they pulled away from each other. Faith wiped the rest of her tears away as she looked into Dawn's deep blue eyes.

"I don't think I'm going to make a very good father, though." The raven slayer joked. Dawn laughed.

"That's ok I don't think I'm going to make a very good mum." the girl replied. Faith scoffed.

"Yeah right you're going to make a great mum for our kid." she replied.

They stood there in silence just admiring each other for quite some time.

'God she's beautiful, I'm so lucky' Faith thought to herself. Dawn blushed and looked away. The raven slayer looked puzzled.

'Dawn has a hot ass...' Faith thought quickly, to test her theory. Dawn shot her a look.

"No I ..." she stopped in mid sentence. That was when it hit them both.

"So that's the looks B and Red have been exchanging... it must have been the spell you read." Faith said out loud. Dawn frowned.

"So we're like... telepathic.. but only to each other?" Dawn asked.

"Only one way to find out..." Faith grinned mischeivously and quickly slipped a hand underneath the hem of Dawn's jeans, instantly bringing her fingers to her most sensitive spot.

'Oh... christ...'

'I read your mind baby' Faith teased

'Read this... Don't stop...'

Faith kissed Dawn passionately, and with that she pulled her hand out and led Dawn upstairs to finish their business from earlier.

Buffy, Willow and Andariel had watched the giggling couple as they'd run up the stairs as they'd been sitting at the wiccan's PC.

"I guess they got things sorted out then." Willow stated with a pleasant smile. Buffy shot her a warning glance, but then leant over and gave her wiccan a soft kiss on the cheek.

Andariel sat back. So much on her mind. She had no idea when things were going to start going downhill, and now they had TWO parents to look after. It was going to be a rough ride but no matter what, she had to make sure that she kept her family safe, even if that meant bringing out the big guns...

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, except for Andariel of course, she is my own:-) But all the characters from the show belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.

Feedback: Much appreciated. As always, email me at shadowpanthergmail..com.

Pairing: Buffy/Willow and also Dawn/Faith..

Warning: This story contains love scenes between two females, so if you're offended by female/female relationships or just plain don't want to read sex scenes, then I suggest you get the fudge out. :-)

Plot: Willow and Dawn meet up with Giles to find out as much information as they can about the upcoming "apocolypse". Buffy and Faith do some late night patrolling following a lead, but find themselves in trouble.

Andariel visits a shady friend to get some help with backup.

A/N: I apologize for the many years it has taken me to write this chapter. For a while there I'd given up on ever being able to finish this. I've just been focussing so much on my life and pushing my writing to the side, that when I have sat down to write, I haven't been able to get through more than a few paragraphs before my inspiration is gone.  
I don't like forcing myself to write when I have no inspiration as that means a sloppy job of the story. So, here it is!

Andariel sat on the back porch of the Summer's residence, flipping the lid on her zippo lighter casually and absent mindedly. Her eyes focussed on the distance at nothing in particular as her mind floated along, replaying the events of the last few days. She knew there had to be a way to help her family and friends against this threat that was heading their way.

In their efforts to block goodness at having the upper hand in fighting them, forces of evil were after her parents, Buffy and Willow. Trying to end Andariel's very life before she had even been born. It unnerved her to say the very least. That is, the lengths that evil would go to so that they could keep things balanced in their favour.

She knew though, that there was no way she could ask the forces of "goodness" to help her. Because they themselves were just overseers. In the future attempts at asking them for help had always fallen through, with replies along the line of "It is not our responsibility to destroy evil, nor is it our want. We merely give humanity the means with which to fight it. It's your job to find it."

She hissed under her breath and pulled a thin green packet of cigarrettes out of her pocket, pulling open the lid and slipping out a long white cigarrette with a gold rimmed filter. Pushing the cancer stick into her mouth, she flipped open the lid of her zippo lighter once again and lit up the mentholy goodness, inhaling deeply before blowing curds of smoke out into the warm breeze.

"I didn't know you smoked." Faith's raspy and playful voice came from behind her. Andariel peered over her shoulder and watched the raven vixen take a seat next to her. With a quizzical raise of the eyebrow, she pushed her packet of smokes towards Faith, and waited as the grinning, greatful slayer took a cigarrette.

"Gotta have something to keep you sane when the world is crashing down around you." replied the red head. Faith nodded slowly as she lit her smoke and inhaled.

"I'll agree with you there." she blew out a long breath of smoke.

Andariel stared at the concrete in front of her, letting her mind go back to it's train of thought. Faith saw this and sat back, also thinking quietly and contemplating what could be going through the girl's mind.

"Faith I need your help." Andariel finally let the words slip from her mouth. The raven slayer looked at her quickly, raising an eyebrow.

"You need my help? With what?" Faith replied, slightly boggled.

"There's a man I need to see. Well... I don't know if you can really call him a man but... I need his help." Andariel responded, looking darkly into Faith's eyes. The raven slayer looked around slowly, thinking.

"I see... And, how exactly is he going to 'help us'?" Faith asked, slightly sarcastically. Andariel laughed slightly.

"I know you have some... let's say... 'connections'... from the old days, when you were a bad egg..." Andariel hinted towards the raven slayer, who instantly swallowed a little and sheepishly looked at the ground as she waited for the red head to continue. Andariel licked her lips.

"You can help me find this guy, he's a very old, very powerful... 'warlock' of sorts. With his help I might be able to perform a spell that can help us fight." she stated darkly. Faith nodded.

"And you need me to help you find him." Faith looked up at her slowly, watching as a smile creeped it's way accross the slayer's lips. Faith sighed.

"I'll do it on one condition... " Faith started, watching as Andariel eyed her off, before tilting her head in a slight nod.

"You don't tell Dawn. I don't want her to know I'm going back to talk to... old associates..." she spoke softly.

"Of course." Andariel replied, watching as Faith took another drag of her cigarrette before butting it out and standing up.

"I'll let you know." she said firmly, before walking off around the side of the house to do her work.

Giles was busy sorting through some new books that had been sent through to him from one of his associates who resided in London, carefully dusting off and dirt and flipping through some of the pages, when he heard a rap at his door. Turning his head quickly to the hallway and stuttering under his breath, he put down the books on the small table next to him and rushed awkwardly to the front door.

"Yes, yes I'm coming." he called out as the rapping continued, reaching and turning the knob and opening the creaking door to reveal the 2 slim women, Willow and Dawn. Pushing his glasses up the brim of his nose he smiled slightly.

"Willow... Dawn, what a pleasant surprise. What can I do for you two ladies?" he asked as the 2 girls smiled in reply.

"Hey Giles, may we come in?" Willow asked, a little nervously. Giles nodded quickly.

"Of course, it's always a pleasure." He replied, moving to the side to let them both in, before quickly closing the door behind them. Straightening his old and well used tweed jacket, he motioned the girl's into his personal library, with a slight smile and those shiny inquisitive eyes peeping out from behind his glasses.

"We're sorry to drop in like this, unannounced. But you, being so wise and knowledgable and all... you're about the only person who can help us with what we need to find out." Willow stated to him, quietly and politely as always when dealing with the wiser old man. He laughed quietly and moved towards the lounge.

"Truly, it's quite alright Willow. Please, sit down and tell me what it is I can assist you with." With a push of his finger against the rim of his glasses, and motioning awkwardly towards the large and comfy, but slightly run down couches.

Dawn and Willow sat down next to each other, adjacent to the book loving watcher.

"Well you see, here's the thing..." Willow started, trailing off as she informed Giles of all the events of the last few weeks. All about Andariel, about Dawn and Faith, the babies, the Glimmer, everything. As she did , Giles sat in relative silence, occassionally nodding or adjusting his glasses as he listened. It was a lot to take in, even for someone who had experienced just about everything supernatural possible.

"So you see, basically, we need to find out as much as possible about these Glimmers... who they specifically work for, anything to do with old predictions, foretelling about our children etc... It's just that it's all happened so suddenly, almost as if it was all planned out to happen at this exact period in time." Willow stated, letting Giles take in all the information.

The grey haired man sat forward in his chair a little, carefully folding his hands together as he looked deep in thought.

"And also it's not like we even know a great deal about Andariel. She just sort of came out of nowhere and is apparently the prodical daughter." Dawn added. Giles adjusted his glasses and took a deep breath.

"I'll have to have a good look through some old text works. It seems to me that Andariel's case is legitimate, although I'll have to try and find some more information about this whole situation. As well as Dawn's sudden and unexpected pregnancy to Faith..." Giles looked over at the brunnette with a somewhat sheepish smile, before turning his gaze back to Willow.

"Tell me Willow, what was the name of that poet again... Sappho was it?" Giles asked quickly as the redhead's eyes brightened and she nodded in response.

"Y-yeah... that's the one. Wasn't she some famous lesbian poet who had her own... island full of women?" Willow accentuated the 'island full of women' with a sly smile and a little bounce, which elicited a lopsided grin from Dawn. Giles huffed a little at this remark, pushing himself off the lounge as he headed over to the bookshelves in the western side of the room.

"Yes I believe so, although there are some outdated and unproved transcripts that suggest she was more than just a poet, that she had powers and was able to conjure up all sorts of spells to be put to use for her own purposes. Rumour has it she had a journal containing a spell which performed copulation between two women, although this is the first time in my life I've heard of such texts actually surfacing. One can't help but wonder how Amy came into possession of such an item." Giles rambled on in a most professional tone as he ran his fingers along the spines of old musty books on the second from top shelf, straining ever so slightly and squinting to read as some of the book names had become faded over the decades.

"Uh... she didn't say. Although I'm beginning to wonder about that girl..." Willow replied as she watched Giles pull a heavy set, brown book out from the shelf, letting it fall into his hands with it's weight as he elicited a slight sigh.

"Yes... it is most perculiar." he said a little more quietly, eyeing off the book as he troddled back over to the lounge and sat himself back in his seat. He blew on the book, removing a thin layer of dust and dirt that had settled on it's surface before peeling it open and fingering gingerly through the pages until he came to a section that caused him to ellicit a sound of what could only be described as joy and a weathered old smile.

"Yes here it is. In the days of the ancients, when man first became and the Gods put forward a pact that still lasts to this day... a pact that you know of yourselves where they must do their best to guarantee the future survival of the human race while at the same time not so much interfering that man can't be strong enough to survive on it's own if so needed to." He adjusted his glasses slightly as his fingers trailed over the old writings on the page.

"They created the elementals, of fire, earth, water and air... the 4 elements as you all well know. They used these elementals and their connections to all things to write out all possible futures and destinies of the human race. In the case of any of these predictions coming true, where it was needed for man to be able to fight the evil they were up against, the Gods consulted with their elemental seers to put in place certain...unchangeable events... so that no matter what the human race would have the means to fight and carry on their lines, so long as they knew how to use it." Giles continued as Dawn and Willow sat entranced.

"So... are you saying that Andariel is our way of fighting for survival? But what about Faith and I's baby? I mean she's a slayer and I'm the Key, there has to be some kind of reason for us to have conceived." Dawn sat forward in her chair, elbows pressed into her thighs with her hands clasped in front of her.

Giles grimaced slightly and raised a hand up to Dawn's hounding.

"Dawn... please, we haven't gotten that far yet. Shall we just read on first?" He asked the insistant young woman, who instantly frowned and sat back hard in her chair, folding her arms indignantly accross her chest. Willow looked over at her with a apathetic smile and gently patted the brunette on the thigh. Dawn grumbled slightly but motioned for Giles to continue.

The older man cleared his throat and moved his eyes back to the text before him.

"The Gods used their powers to set in motion the creation of one or more warriors, from the conception between 2 warriors who possessed their strength both in heart, and in mind... " his eyes skimmed over the rest, and he turned through a few pages before continuing quietly. "But it does appear that the events behind it... even a clue as to who the warriors are... they're all sacred rights with which are kept with the Gods themselves. I'm afraid that when it comes to these unborn, and 'future' comers... we will be, how shall I say it in your terms... 'winging it'."

Willow and Dawn both ellicited sighs of frustration and disappointment as Giles furrowed his brow and continued to read through some more.

"I guess they really do want us to fight for our right to survive huh." stated Willow, exasperatedly. Dawn pressed her palms against her forehead before flinging herself up from the couch in a frustrated fashion, her eyes both pleading and glaring at Giles.

"We've fought for our rights to survive for long enough. We deserve answers! And... if they're not going to give us any clue about why and when we're supposed to fight then... could you at least find out some more about these Glimmers? Find out who they work for... I don't know, maybe give us an idea of what we're up against." Dawn raised her voice but then settled down when she realized there wasn't any reason to be, despite how frustrated she was.

Giles waved his hand, motioning for her to sit back down. She did so begrudgingly, but did so nonetheless.

"I will do some more research into the Glimmers, although I don't know that it will be of much help, considering there are bigger fish to fry." He adjusted his glasses as Willow nodded slowly.

"Thank you Giles, we really appreciate it. Poor Buffy is tearing her hair out over this mess, it would mean so much to have some more leads to work on." Willow replied quietly with a grim smile. Giles nodded in reply.

"She is a strong warrior, as you all are strong. No matter what happens, just remember that." He said firmly, yet cautiously.

Faith hoped that what she was doing wouldn't turn around to bite her in the ass.

The sky was dark and menacing, with a slight drizzle of rain coming down and pattering against her thick, black leather jacket. Her heavy soled boots splashed against the thin layer of moisture covering the footpath as she walked quickly to her destination.

She knew her contact would be there. There wasn't many places left anymore where Demons could congregate without being hunted down, either by the military looking to "clean up" what was left after the Hellmouth incident, or by Bounty Hunters struggling to get by with the lack of work.

Most of them actually weren't even that bad... for Demon's. Small time crooks and guys just looking to get into trouble, really they couldn't risk being exposed as it was likely that they would be swiftly eliminated.

"Shit." she muttered under her breath as she slipped into a dark, musty smelling alley way.

She probably knew more humans that did worse things than some of the Demons.

Moving briskly to the end of the alleyway, there was a set of stairs, covered in all matters of stains. Some were likely blood stains from the patrons fighting with each other, some from alcohol, others... she wasn't so sure. She sniffed in disgust and moved down the set of stairs, pushing open the doors at the bottom and entering the establishment.

Where it had been deathly silent outside, aside from the sound of the rain falling and occassional traffic, inside there was voices everywhere. Some were yelling and arguing with each other, some were laughing and chatting away, others were yelling at the bartender for more drinks. There was music in some language Faith didn't understand, nor did she care to.

She slinked over to a corner booth and sat down, looking over to the bar and motioning for a drink to be brought to her.

As she tapped her feet impatiently against the slightly sticky floor, a dark figure slipped into the booth accross from her.

"Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in."

Faith peered up at him. His face was a dark browny black colour, with many different shaped and sized horns sticking out along his jawbone and cheeks. About 6ft 5" in height, and yellowish fangs protruding in what one could only guess to be a grin.

"Dorian. I knew I could find you here." she replied casually with a smile, reaching over to take her drink as the waiter brought it around, grunting and then scuttling off.

"You never call me anymore, Faith. Things aren't the same without you around anymore." He replied to her in a low voice, looking around the room and motioning with his hands to all the miscreants and drunks that surrounded them.

"You know I'm not into this lifestyle anymore. I have it good now. I'm a slayer, I fight for the good of us all." She said lowly, furrowing her eyebrows slightly.

Dorian scoffed and leant back in his chair, taking a cigarette out of his pocket and lighting it casually. He took a long drag before leaning back forwards, his forearms on the table, eyes lowered.

"I personally never understood any of that stuff. You know me. I just do what I have to do to get by in life. I don't lower my standards to killing innoccent people like some of these idiots, as long as they don't get in my way, that is. Most of us just want to have a good time. Remember those days, Faith?" He asked, smiling broadly as he spoke.

Faith laughed quietly.

"Yeah, I also seem to remember one time where you would have gotten your head taken off because of the shit you got yourself into. If I hadn't been there, that is. I saved your ass, and you still owe me." She grinned. He scoffed loudly.

"Right, now let me guess, you're here to call in that I.O.U.?" He pronounced the word I.O.U. slowly and firmly. Faith's grin dimmed down to a smile.

"Maybe. I need some information, and I know I can trust your sources." She said as she took a swig from her pitcher of alcohol. She turned up her nose at the taste, bitter with a touch of something she couldn't put her finger on. "Ugh, what do they put in this shit?"

"A better question would be what DON'T they put in it!" He laughed loudly, taking another puff from his cigarette before tapping it's ash onto the floor besides their table.

"So, Faith, what kind of information is it you need, exactly?" He asked.

"Well, I'm looking for someone. I've been told he's a very old and very powerful warlock. Someone who can help us, you see, we've had some trouble recently. What do you know about Glimmers?" Faith replied seriously. Dorian's eyes instantly locked onto hers, and she noticed a slight tremble in his fingers. She raised an eyebrow.

"You ran into a Glimmer?" He asked, so quietly that she almost didn't hear him.

"Not me, an associate. Why, what do you know, Dorian?" She asked him firmly, leaning over the table, closer to him. He took a long , deep breath.

"Glimmers are bad news, my friend. That's all I can tell you. I knew of a guy once. He got a job through a Bounty Hunter who was working for some real, dark, underground shit. Rumour has it they were dark Gods. Anyway, he got together a large group of Demons who are feared accross the land as they're some of the top muscle for the Black Militia." Dorian was all business, keeping his voice low enough that no one else could overhear the conversation, but loud enough that Faith could hear everything he said.

"The Black Militia?" Faith asked quizically. Dorian waved a hand.

"Large time crooks and loan sharks in the underworld. Anyway, something went wrong on the job, and there was a friend of mine who saw it all go down. One Glimmer took out the whole lot of them, about 23 guys, without even so much as breaking a sweat. I'm telling you, they're bad news Faith." He said, finishing off his statement with a long, careful drag of his smoke. He butted it out firmly against the table as he finished it off.

Faith frowned, taking another swig from her drink , trying her best to ignore the foul taste.

"And this warlock, what do you know of him?" She asked.

He scratched his chin and looked thoughtful for a moment, before finally replying.

"Only old warlock I know of that you could be speaking of is the Shadow Man. Because I know you wouldn't be here for that information if it was any... other warlock. He's the only one that openly associates with Demons." he shrugged his shoulders and scratched absent mindedly at his chest.

"Could you tell me where to find him?" She asked firmly, to which Dorian replied with a lopsided grin.

Buffy was preparing herself for a late night patrol. Willow and Dawn had returned some time ago from visiting Giles. The information they got hadn't been of much help. She sighed quietly to herself as she pulled on her boots and began lacing them up tightly.

As she was doing so, she felt arms encircle her from behind, and warm lips press to her neck. She grinned broadly, suddenly turning around and grabbing Willow around the waist and pulling her down into her lap. The redhead squealed widly as her slayer pressed kisses to her neck and jawline.

"Buffy!" She giggled loudly in protest and tried to bat away her girlfriend, who was insisting on continuing until Willow died of laughter.

"Buffy... hehehe... wait... wait stop. I...hehe... I need to ask you something!" Willow could barely breathe as she tried to get her words out, but finally Buffy relented, grinning manically.

"But I love tickling you, you're so cute!" The blonde replied, poking Willow teasingly between the ribs, eliciting another high pitched shriek before she finally stopped completely.

"Buffy, I... well, do you really need to do this patrol tonight? I mean, isn't that why Faith is here? To take over and let you have a break... besides I'm sure it's not even really necessary to go. If you stay here you'll be safe, and... and you'll be with me." Willow continued. Buffy smiled gently and tucked a strand of the redhead's hair behind her ears.

"Well, I can't find Faith. Dawn doesn't know where she is, and Andariel is just being all broody and thoughtful. I can't get anything out of her. She's definately our child." Buffy put some thought into the last bit with a serious nod. Willow grinned.

"Yeah, that whole brooding thing is definately you." she teased in return, poking her Slayer's nose. Buffy scowled and poked her back in the ribs.

Just at that moment, the front door opened, and a damp Faith entered the house.

"There you are! Faith, where have you been?" Buffy asked quickly, glaring in her direction. Faith grinned.

"You know, the usual. Robbing banks, putting kittens in trees. That sort of stuff." She teased in return. Buffy pointed at her.

"That's not funny!" she snapped. Faith laughed.

"Hey B, what can I say, old habits die hard." she snickered. Willow laughed under her breath.

Faith looked around before turning back to Buffy and Willow. Buffy raised an eyebrow.

"Hey B, where's Andariel? I picked up some info, I gotta pass it onto her." Faith asked.

"Uh, she's uh downstairs in the basement. Training I think. Did you find out anything that could help us? Dawn and I didn't have much luck with Giles, unfortunately." Willow's brow creased a little as she spoke quietly. Faith nodded slowly.

"Yeah, I think so. I don't know yet. Hey B wait up for me, we'll go on patrol together." Faith said quickly, before moving away and going downstairs to find Andariel.

She stepped slowly down the stairs, looking over to spot Andariel, furiously hitting a heavy punching bag. Sweat was pouring down her body, and her punches and kicks came furiously, unforgiving, and perfectly timed. It was like she was some kind of machine, the way she moved and fought. She appeared to be an even greater fighter than Faith and Buffy themselves.

Andariel delivered a roundhouse kick to the bag, then stepped back, letting it swing in place as she reached down to the ground for her bottle of water.

"Did you find the information?" Andariel asked without even looking over at Faith, taking a large swig of liquid from the bottle. Faith crossed her arms over her breasts.

"I did. Although I don't know how this is going to help us at all. My contact told me about the Glimmers... whatever this is we're getting ourselves into..." Faith started, thinking about all the implications of the possibility that they actually were going to go up against a Dark God...

She shook her head, as if trying to shake the thoughts from her mind.

"I need to speak to this warlock. I believe he's the only one that can help us. I can summon assistance to us, but alone I'm not powerful enough to do it." Andariel explained as she walked over to Faith, pulling her shirt up to wipe her sweaty face, exposing her chiseled abdominal muscles.

"I thought you knew powerful magic?" Faith asked, frowning slightly. Andariel smiled.

"I'm more of a fighter. My younger sister is far more powerful in magicks than I could ever be." she said, very matter of factly.

Faith reached into her back pocket and pulled out the slip of paper that had the details written on it that Andariel needed to know. She was about to hand it over, but pulled it back at the last second. Andariel looked at her quizically.

"I need to know one thing before I give this to you." Faith said, looking at her very sternly. Andariel searched Faith's eyes, wondering what it was troubling her...

Faith took a deep breath.

"I need to know that no matter what happens... you'll protect Dawn." She replied, suddenly glancing down at the ground, her cheeks slightly warming from a blush.

Faith was not one that was accustomed to wanting or needing help, especially when it came to guarding someone she cared about. In fact, she was still new to the whole "caring about someone thing". She'd always had a thing for Dawn. She was so innoccent, and tender, and yet so strong headed and willing to fight even if it wasn't her fight.

Now that they had consumated their love, and Dawn was even pregnant with her child... it was mind blowing. It was opening up the ex-criminal to a world she never knew existed. All the flings she'd had in the past, where she'd pretended to care when she really didn't, none of that mattered anymore. She had the real thing, and wasn't about to let it go.

She felt a soft hand on her chin, and realized Andariel was lifting her face up to look at her. The woman had a tender smile on her face.

"No matter what... you'll be around to make sure I won't need to protect her." The red head replied, making Faith's breath catch in her throat a little bit. She handed over the slip of paper, which Andariel took greatfully.

"Yeah, who am I kidding right? I'm a freakin' badass." Faith replied with a cheeky grin. "Now get your ass in gear, we're gonna need all the help we can get."

With a nod, Andariel grabbed her gear to go, as did Faith.

"I still don't understand why I need to be out here with you, when the reason you're here is so that I don't have to be out here." Buffy complained as she trudged along like a sooky 6 year old who didn't get the candy she wanted. The ground was moist underneath her feet from the rain. She walked up to a fungus growing out of the ground, and kicked it to kingdom come.

The fungus flew through the air and hit Faith in the back of the head with a dull "thonk". Faith turned around from where she'd been sitting on a large rock near a tall Oak tree.

"Ow!" She rubbed the back of her head, glaring at Buffy who was grinning triumphantly. "You little!"

She got up from where she was sitting and started coming towards the blonde.

"Uh oh." Buffy mouthed and tried to duck, but before she knew it, Faith had her head locked firmly under her arm, and was roughly rubbing the top of her head with her fist. She cackled manically as Buffy squirmed and protested. She finally let her go, a wide grin on her face.

Buffy frowned and rubbed the top of her head.

"Do you know how long it takes me to do my hair? It's ruined now, thanks." She sulked. Faith made a mock "sorry" face and pretended to play a tiny invisible violin.

Buffy grumbled and went to lean against a tree. Faith followed her, kicking up small patches of grass as she went.

"So, does Dawn know you went to see a Demon tonight?" Buffy asked suddenly. Faith's eyes suddenly snapped up to hers.

"What? How did you..." Faith began to protest, but was interrupted.

"Please, Faith, I'd know that smell anywhere. You reeked of it when you came home tonight." Buffy made a face at remembering the smell. Faith looked down at the ground.

"It's not what you think. I needed information. Andariel asked me B..." Faith replied. Buffy looked at her seriously.

"Andariel? What for? What information could she possibly want from a Demon?" Buffy asked loudly. Faith shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm not entirely sure. She needed to find a contact, and getting it through a Demon was the only way. Don't worry B, I didn't do anything stupid." She smiled at the blonde.

Buffy looked thoughtful for a minute.

"I really hope she isn't getting herself into trouble..." she said quietly.

Andariel arrived at the address that was written on the paper. She peered up the tall staircase leading up to a small looking appartment, with warm orange lights glowing through the windows.

Taking a deep breath, she began ascending the stairs, hoping deep inside of herself that this was going to work. She couldn't bear the thought of not being able to bring enough power to the fight that was eventually going to ensue.

She could feel it inside of her, swelling up, threatening to consume her. She knew her body still had remnants and memories of all the evil she had witnessed and experienced in her life, including the time from when she herself was part demon.

She reached the door, and wiped her palms nervously on her pants, before balling her right hand into a fist and rapping on it firmly. When she didn't receive an answer, she turned the door handle to find the door unlocked. She pushed the door open and stepped inside, gingerly closing it behind her.

"I've been waiting for you." came a deep, but croaky and weak voice from accross the room.

Andariel span around to see an old man getting up from a ragged looking couch with the assistance of a walking cane. His features were hard to distinguish. His face was covered with wrinkles, his mouth covered by a long, grey moustache. His hair was receding to about midway on his skull, but the little hair he did have left was long and wirey. Wearing loose fitting dark brown pants, with navy blue slippers, and what appeared to be a hand knitted beige sweater.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you. I'm..." Andariel started, but before she could finish, his gaze met hers as he shuffled towards her.

"Andariel. As I said, I have been waiting for you. And might I say, what a pleasure it is to meet you, child." the old man smiled warmly as Andariel walked over to him with hand extended. He shook her hand firmly.

"How did you know..." Andariel began to ask, but wasn't really sure how to continue her sentence. The old man waved a hand towards his couch, and with a nod she greatfully took a seat and waited for him to seat himself accross from her.

"But I'm sure you're wondering who I am, child. I am Altrus, although to some I'm simply known as the Shadow Man. I watch over the Demons in this area. I make sure they keep themselves out of trouble, as we all well know they like it so much." He continued to smile. Andariel laughed quietly.

"I know why you're here. Have no fear, I will help you with your plight. But I'm sure you have many questions to ask me before we continue." he said.

Andariel looked around the room. The walls were covered from ceiling to floor with bookshelves, covered with old musty books. She could smell the thick layer of dust practically coating everything in the room, perhaps even the old man himself.

"You are a great warlock, aren't you?" She asked quietly. He nodded.

"Many, many centuries ago. I was being apprenticed by a wizard who was studying the dark arts. When my skills began to surpass his, fear took over him. He tried to destroy me, but knowing his intentions, I instead killed him. I absorbed his powers and became even stronger." He began.

"I pledged myself to the Dark Gods, and practised under their command for some time, before they noticed my talents and brought me before them. I became a seer and a grand advisor for them. For the longest time I helped some of the most evil people come into power and bring their plans to fruition."

Andariel leant forward, unable to believe what she was hearing.

"So you're evil? Then why are you helping me?" She asked, her brow furrowed from confusion. Altrus smiled.

"I realized a long time ago that the fight between Good and Evil was futile. Do you think fiends such as Ceasar came into power of their own doing? No, I was always there, bending and shaping society and the minds of the weak to the advantage of Evil. But what is the point of destroying the world? We should all be free to live in happiness and not terror. I lost my humanity a long time ago... But that doesn't mean Earth has to stop fighting for it's own."

Andariel was lost for words, she was so confused, and yet so greatful to have this man on their side.

"Can you tell me... is this all for nothing? Are we really going to be able to stop the evil this time? I just feel so powerless..." Andariel shook her head, feeling so unsure of herself at this time.

Altrus slowly stood up, shuffling over to her and putting his hand on her shoulder.

"Listen to me, child. There may not be hope for someone like myself, but for you and everyone you care about... the light shines brightly. Just remember that when all hope seems lost, and everything is falling apart around you, the greatest and most powerful weapon you have to give is your love." He smiled warmly down at her. She looked up at him, noticing a gleam of knowing in his eye.

"Now, shall we get started?" He asked. With a nod, Andariel stood.

She still wasn't sure who this strange man was, but she just knew that right now, he was their only hope...

"Well this is just great." Buffy yelled, standing beside Faith.

They'd been ambushed, by 3 creatures that matched the description that Andariel had given them of what attacked her the other night. They had them surrounded, they kept teleporting everytime one of them tried to hit them, and would sneer and laugh at them, taunting them.

"I gotta give it to you B, you sure know how to attract the big bads don't you." Faith yelled back. "Heads up!"

They both ducked as one of the Glimmers lunged at them, missing it's target and flying over them and into one of the others.

"This isn't going to end well Faith!" Buffy shouted as another ran towards them, teleporting just as Buffy was about to tackle it to the ground. She hit the dirt, spitting out a mouthful of grass and soil in disgust. She groaned.

It reappeared behind Faith and before she had time to react, it landed it's fist in the side of her head, sending her flying and landing several feet away. She landed on her side with a hard thud, knocking the breath out of her lungs. She winced in pain.

"Faith!" Buffy shouted, alerting the raven just in time to roll out of the way as one of the Glimmers pounced towards her with it's fist at the ready again. She flipped up onto her feet and took the opportunity to land a kick to it's side before it could recover from where it landed. She roared and whipped a dagger out of her thigh sheath, planting it firmly into it's skull.

The Glimmer screamed, and then seemingly teleported away completely, leaving only Faith's dagger behind.

Meanwhile Buffy was becoming overwhelmed by the other 2. They landed several hits to her face, then to her abdomen, before grabbing her by her shirt and throwing her through the air until she hit a rock, hard.

Gasping for air, she rolled onto her back, blood trickling down her face.

"Buffy!" Faith cried out desperately, and came running over to assist her, but in a flash she was met by one creature in front of her and one behind her. She spun around, unsure which one would lash out first.

"Stupid slayer..." sneered the one she was facing. She growled under her breath, preparing for what was about to happen. So this was it, this was how they were going to die, after everything...

But it never came, it was as if they were suddenly frozen in place, not moving at all. Faith frowned.

Suddenly, the creature she was facing started shaking violently, reaching it's hands up to grab at it's throat as if it was being choked, but nothing was there. It started gagging and choking, and before she knew it, it had burst into flames. Collapsing to the ground it writhed and screamed in pain, before finally vanishing.

She turned around to the sound of a loud whizzing noise, and then a thunk!

The 3rd creature had been pinned to a tree by it's head, with what appeared to be a crossbow arrow.

Mouth open in shock, Faith ran over to where Buffy was and pulled her arm around her shoulder, hoisting her up onto her feet. Buffy groaned, grimacing at the pain that was travelling through her body.

"B! Are you ok?" Faith asked her quickly, guiding her over to where the creature was still pinned to the tree and grasping frantically, but unable to remove the arrow from it's head.

"I'm fine, what happened?" She asked, glaring at the still living Glimmer. Faith looked around, her eyes stopping at what was approaching them.

"B... Looks like reinforcements have arrived." She said, with a sound of relief and greatfulness in her voice.

Buffy turned with Faith's help to see what had saved their skins. She almost couldn't believe her eyes.

"Reeanus! Andariel... how did you..." Buffy's eyes were lit up as her 2 daughters approached her. The blonde daughter she had only seen in the picture that Andariel had shown her, was now here.

"Mum, you're safe!" Reeanus ran over and embraced Buffy, as Andariel watched, grinning.

"Looks like we made it just in time." Andariel said with relief.

"Here, let me help." Reeanus said softly, and placed her hands over Buffy's face, her hands lighting up a light blue colour and healing her wounds. Buffy felt the warm, tingling sensation flow through her skin and take away all the pain from the battle.

"Andariel, I don't know how you did it, but I'm glad you did." Buffy stated, finally able to let go of Faith and stand on her own.

"Stupid mortals, you will meet your end at the hands of the Dark Gods!" shouted the Glimmer from behind them, laughing hysterically, droplets of blood trickling from the corner of it's mouth.

Without a word, Reeanus stepped forward, her eyes turned pitch black. She held her hand out to the Demon, and in the blink of an eye, she had set it on fire like with the other one. As it shuddered violently, it eventually vanished, leaving only the crossbow arrow sticking out of the tree.

As she turned back to the rest of them, her eyes returned to their normal colour. She noticed the look in Buffy's eyes.

"It's ok, I know what I'm doing. Trust me." she said with a smile, and after a moment of apprehension, Buffy nodded.

"Come on, let's get home." Faith said quietly.

With that, they started the trek home.

By the time the front door opened, Willow and Dawn were so relieved, and so angry, and so worried... and so...

"BUFFY! Oh my god, where have you been? WHY IS THERE BLOOD ON YOUR FACE, ARE YOU HURT? How can you be so stupid! FAITH HOW COULD YOU LET HER BE SO STUPID!" Willow was the first to start ranting.

"We've been worried sick! Don't you EVER do that to us again! YOU COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED!" Dawn started pounding on Faith's chest, much to the slayer's disdain as she tried to restrain the girl, who was uncanilly strong for her size.

"Ok, everyone really needs to chill out right now!" Buffy held her hands up in defense as her and Faith stepped into the house, followed by Andariel, and Reeanus.

Willow eyed her off, and recognition instantly set in on her features.

"Oh..." she held a hand to her mouth, as Reeanus stepped up to her, smiling tenderly.

"Hey mum." she said quietly, opening up her arms, which Willow instantly lunged into.

"I had no choice. I had to summon her here. It's the best chance we have at surviving against the Dark Gods." Andariel told her grimly. Willow broke away from the hug, and looked over at Andariel with worry in her eyes.

"Dark Gods? But... what could they possibly want with us? And how did you find out?" She asked. Andariel motioned for everyone to move to the loungeroom and take a seat.

Buffy and Willow sat with Reeanus between them. Faith took a seat in the recliner, pulling Dawn into her lap. Dawn was greatful for the contact, and linked her fingers with Faith's.

"I spoke with a warlock today. He was the one that helped me to bring Reeanus here. He explained to me that he used to work for the Dark Gods a long time ago. Basically, they used to be good Gods, guardians and protectors of everyone on Earth." Andariel started.

"Oh, I... uh, I read about this, I think. They wanted to have more control over people, and put them to work for the Gods. They would have had Demons enslave humans and keep them in control, forcing them to worship the Gods always." Willow interrupted. Andariel nodded.

"But the Gods didn't agree, so the Dark Gods seperated from them, and ever since then the Dark Gods have been trying to destroy and control humanity, while the Gods of Good have been watching over us and making sure we have the means to destroy any evil we face." Andariel finished.

"Wait, so basically, we have big bad evil Gods wanting to destroy us, and they're coming after us because we're the last hope for human survival? How the hell are we meant to destroy GODS?" Faith intercepted, the annoyance evident in her tone.

Andariel looked at the ground, shaking her head.

"Honestly Faith, I don't know. But we have to fight, and we have to protect Buffy and Willow's child at all costs. I've brought Reeanus here because as my sister, she's the most powerful witch ever known. She has mastered the dark arts and can channel it through her, purify it. I wish I could explain it, but I can't. But together, we might have a better chance. I don't know how or when it's all going to go down, but the more prepared for it we are, the better." Andariel replied quietly.

"I can help you guys, I can keep up protection spells on the house to cloak it, and I can help train Willow's magic to become even stronger. We all have to train." Reeanus added.

Buffy shook her head. "I just can't believe all of this is happening."

Willow smiled lovingly at her lover.

"Hey, maybe we should all get some rest, it's been a long day. Tomorrow we can pick up where we left off, and start training. You can't fight the world if you're sleepy." Willow stated quietly.

"She's right, lets all get some sleep." Faith agreed.

With that, they seperated to their rooms to succumb to slumber. However as Andariel lay in bed in the spare room, Reeanus snoring softly accross the room from her, she couldn't shake this unnerving feeling she had in the pit of her stomach. It was as if she could feel darkness itself whispering to her...

AN: So this chapter turned out a lot longer than I anticipated, and I was running out of steam in the end, so forgive me if it seems to taper off.

Still, I hope you enjoy! New chapter will be coming out soon :)

"I realized a long time ago that the fight between Good and Evil was futile. Do you think fiends such as Ceasar came into power of their own doing? No, I was always there, bending and shaping society and the minds of the weak to the advantage of Evil. But what is the point of destroying the world? We should all be free to live in happiness and not terror. I lost my humanity a long time ago... But that doesn't mean Earth has to stop fighting for it's own." ~ Altrus AKA The Shadowman


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, except for Andariel of course, she is my own:-) But all the characters from the show belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.

Feedback: Much appreciated. As always, email me at shadowpanthergmail..com.

Pairing: Buffy/Willow and also Dawn/Faith..

Warning: This story contains love scenes between two females, so if you're offended by female/female relationships or just plain don't want to read sex scenes, then I suggest you get the fudge out. :-)

Plot: Andariel returns to the Shadow Man for assistance with the nightmares that plague her, but in the proccess gets some shocking news.  
Something is bothering Buffy. Dawn demands that Faith take her shopping for baby clothes.

There was only darkness surrounding her. She wasn't sure where she was. She fumbled around in the darkness, searching with her fingertips clumsily for some kind of light switch.

Andariel grumbled under her breath. The house was full of silence, even void of the sound of crickets that usually invade the gardens each night without fail. Finally her fingers fell onto a lamp situated on a small table, and she felt around quickly until she found the on switch, and turned it on.

Apparently she had stumbled upon Dawn's bedroom. Her body suddenly froze in place, her eyes fixated on the smooth, lithe form draped accross the double bed in the centre of the room. Laying accross mauve satin bedsheets, she let her eyes move slowly from the long, creamy, delicate legs, up the thighs only slightly covered by a seethrough black night shift, up over the curve of small hips and along the tight waist line. Over the luscious curves of cleavage peeking out of the night shift, up the long neck and finally resting on the glowing face of Dawn.

Andariel could feel her lips moving, but no words coming out. Dawn reached her hand out, curving it upwards and curling a finger, begging Andariel to "come hither".

She didn't know when or how it happened, as if she was under some kind of spell, but she could feel herself lowering down onto the bed. Dawn rolled over onto her back as Andariel's body stretched along her length, a leather clad thigh pressing down between her legs.

Gasping quietly, Dawn's lips were captured in a heated and deep kiss.

As she pressed her thigh in harder, her lips becoming more hungry and biting at Dawn's, she moved her mouth down to her creamy exposed neck. She growled softly into the flesh, biting down on it, eliciting a cry from Dawn's lips.

"Andy! Oh, Andy..." she whispered breathlessly. At that point, Andariel felt the hunger consume her, she felt her skin beginning to crack and stretch, morphing as her hands became long and clawed, her shoulders broadening to beyond masculine. The dark wings pushed out of her skin as it split open violently along her back, bursting out of her thin white t-shirt.

"Andy, Andy..." Dawn kept whispering, seeming oblivious to Andariel's transformation.

Unable to control herself, Andariel bit down too hard into Dawn's neck.

"Andy! Andy! Please, wake up!" Andariel was suddenly aware of herself being shaken hard, and the images that she had just witnessed slipped away. She sat up quickly in bed, panting for breath, the bedsheets and her night clothes sticking to her sweat covered body.

"Andy, are you ok?" Reeanus's voice came softly, but urgently.

Andariel shook her head, then pushing a hand to her forehead. Her brain was throbbing with a massive headache, her skin was clammy, and she was aware of the guilt creeping back.

"Uhn...fuck." She whispered under her breath, noticing that her sister was placing a hand reassuringly on her shoulder, rubbing her back gently.

"Another nightmare?" Reeanus asked tentatively. Andariel nodded.

She inhaled deeply, her breath catching in her throat as she did so, and let her hands fall into her lap.

As much as she knew it was her punishment, and her constant reminder of what she had done in her future universe, it never failed to unnerve her every single time.

"I don't know if I can keep up with this. They haven't been getting any better..." She said with much dissappointment in her voice. Reeanus looked at her worryingly.

"Maybe you should get some help for them. If you can't get a decent night sleep because of these nightmares, you're not going to be in any kind of shape for fighting." Reeanus said caringly, tucking some strands of Andariel's fiery red hair behind her ears.

Andariel looked over at her with a tender smile, taking her other hand in hers and squeezing tightly.

"Maybe you're right sis, maybe there is some help I could get for them. I think I might just know who to see." Andariel replied. Reeanus grinned back.

"Well then, it's settled. Tomorrow you will go and get this seen to. If you don't, I'll officially kick your arse. Or maybe just cast a spell on you to MAKE you go..." Reeanus said thoughtfully about the last part, squinting her eyes slightly, laughing when Andariel bumped her shoulder into her playfully.

"In that case, I'll go." Andariel said with a laugh. Reeanus let out a quiet little squeal, something she usually did whenever she was happy about something. She wrapped her arms around Andariel, hugging her tightly. Andariel pressed her forehead to her sister's, sighing slightly.

"Just do me one favour." Andariel asked, lifting her head and waiting for Reeanus to do the same and look at her.

"Hmm?" her eyes shined in the pale moonlight that was streaming into the room through the window. Andariel looked a little bashful and bit her lower lip tentatively.

"Will you stay with me? Just for tonight. I... I don't really want to sleep alone right now." She looked down at her lap, feeling her cheeks blushing just a bit. Reeanus grinned broadly and tackled her sister roughly, knocking the wind out of her.

"I dibs this side!" She said triumphantly as she rolled over her and onto the side of the bed that was against the wall. Andariel laughed cheekily.

"Yeah, right. I know it's only so you don't fall out of bed in the middle of the night." she teased.

Reeanus huffed and poked her tongue out at her older sister, turning onto her side to face the wall. Andariel smiled and got comfortable under the sheets, sliding down into bed to spoon Reeanus.

"No more nightmares, Andy." Reeanus said with a yawn, before already dozing off to sleep.

And indeed, Andariel didn't have anymore nightmares that night.

"But... do we really have to? Surely there's more pressing matters than this right now." Faith said, cringing slightly at the death glare her girlfriend gave her in return.

Dawn's arms were crossed rebelliously accross her chest as she stood in front of Faith, who was in the basement, "trying" to train.

Dawn let out an exasperated breath and flailed her arms out.

"THIS is the pressing matter! We NEED to go baby shopping! Don't you understand? I'm not bringing a child into this world that doesn't have everything it ever wanted, and the earlier we go shopping, the better!" Dawn told her girlfriend, stepping up closer to her, her eyes being very clear that there would be no way Faith could tell her no. At least not in a way that Dawn wouldn't hear as a yes.

Faith rested her hands on Dawn's shoulders, looking into her eyes.

"Baby, I know you're excited about us having a baby together. I am too! But I need to be in the best shape possible for fighting the bad guys... even with having Andy and Rea on our side, I don't know that we're going to make it out unscathed." Faith tried to explain to her delicately, but it seemed that just made Dawn even more determined.

"Even more reason to do it now! If the world gets nearly completely annihilated in the proccess, there won't be ANYWHERE to get baby clothes from. Besides, I think you're in GREAT shape already." Dawn pressed her hips into Faith suggestively, raising an eyebrow as she played with her girlfriends tight fitting singlet.

Faith licked her lips slightly, accidentally letting out a little moan in the proccess. She leaned down and captured Dawn's lips in a long, delicious kiss, running her fingers firmly down her arms before encircling them around her waist and picking her up. She pressed her up against the nearest solid object, which happened to be a cabinet which housed a large collection of pointy weapons.

Dawn wrapped her legs around Faith's hips, letting her kiss her for another minute or so before she pulled her lips away. Faith growled and tried to capture her mouth again, but Dawn wouldn't let her.

Faith pouted and made a noise of dissapproval. Dawn pressed a finger against her girlfriend's lips.

"I'll let you do... _whatever_... you like to me..." Dawn started seductively, leaning forwards and nibbling on Faith's left ear, sending a shiver down her spine. Faith liked where this was going...

"If... you go baby shopping with me first." she finished. And there's the punch line. Faith scowled.

"I want a divorce." She stated mopily. Dawn smiled broadly.

"Like you could ever divorce this." she wriggled her hips, pressing herself into Faith's crotch. Faith nearly dropped Dawn right there. She lowered her eyebrows.

"... we're going shopping."

Buffy and Willow were in the kitchen, sharing a plate of waffles. Buffy had to note how lately, Willow was starting to rival her own appetite. She raised an eyebrow at her redhead who was downing her 4th waffle so far. Willow smiled back at her slayer, before following the waffle with a large gulp of milk.

"You know, you could feed a village with how much you've eaten this week alone." Buffy stated, in-between bites of her own waffle. Willow pouted.

"Buffy! I'm with child, I can't help it that I've been eating more." she retorted, then looked back down at the food in front of her, starting to take another large chunk of waffle on a fork.

Buffy shrugged. "It's just an observation."

At that moment, Dawn bounced into the kitchen, Faith in tow. Buffy couldn't help but notice the expression on the raven slayer's face. It was some kind of combination of... turned on... angry... dissappointed...

"Guess what we're going to do?" Dawn asked enthusiastically and with a huge grin on her face.

Buffy lowered her eyebrows, her mouth still full of food, pointing at Dawn.

"Gay sex." she said simply.

Dawn scowled at her sister, looking around quickly to see if she could find something to throw at her, but when she came up with nothing she simply huffed and crossed her arms over her chest.

"No, we're going shopping." She said simply. Willow's ears perked up and she spun around quickly to face them.

"Oh! Dawnie... could you pick me up some marshmallows while you're out? And maybe... some peanut butter... a-and maybe some cheddar cheese too?" Willow asked quickly.

Faith raised an eyebrow. "I sure hope you don't plan on eating those all at once, Red."

Willow blushed.

"That's disgusting, Faith. Sure, I can do that." Replied Dawn. Faith and Buffy looked at each other, both shrugging.

"Well, don't stay out too late. We're going to have a training session later on with Andariel and Reeanus. It's important that we all put in 120% for this." Buffy said firmly, giving Dawn an authoritive look before taking a sip of her orange juice.

"Don't worry B, we'll be back in time for the party." Faith said with a grin, taking Dawn's hand and leading her out of the room.

"Have fun!" Willow called out after them, before tucking back into her food. She started on her 5th waffle. Buffy scratched her head and watched in bewilderment.

"Baby, can you make me some more waffles?" Willow asked, batting her eyelashes at her girlfriend.

Buffy groaned and got up from her chair.

"You're going to eat us out of house and home Wills!" she stated exasperatedly.

Andariel had left the house early, before anyone else had woken up. The less people knew of her dealing with the still mysterious Shadow Man, the better. At the moment, Faith was the only one she could trust with the knowledge of his existance.

The others might see it as dangerous, covorting with what could be described as an evil genius. Even though he had helped her with summoning her sister here from the future, his motives for helping were still cloudy.

Although, it wasn't fair of her to judge. I mean Faith had once been a dangerous criminal, who sided with evil despite being a Slayer who was meant to protect the people of Earth. But look how far she'd come. She was even devoted to Dawn, and devoted to the cause of fighting against evil now. It's not like Andariel could talk anyway, with all the things she had done... after all, it was why she was here, wasn't it?

Sighing to herself and frowning slightly, she pushed the door open to Altrus's home, closing it quietly behind her. She turned around, scanning the room for the old man. She spotted him at a bookshelf, gingerly leaning up to grab a book that was slightly out of reach.

Moving over quickly, Andariel easily managed to reach the book, pulling it out and handing it to the old man. He smiled at her kindly, as she waved her hands and coughed at the dust the book had flung out in the proccess.

"Thank you child. I would have used magic to retrieve it, but a hand works just as well, doesn't it?" He chuckled quietly. She smiled in reply and followed him as he went to sit back on his couch.

Andariel hesitated for a moment, biting her lower lip and looking concerned.

Without looking up at her, Altrus opened up his book, then patted the couch next to himself. With a nod, Andariel slowly lowered herself next to him. Despite being such a powerful warlock, she couldn't help but feel that even the slightest tremor might cause him to fall to bits. She smiled at her thoughts, how outrageous!

"What bothers you?" He asked quietly, his lips parting slightly as he looked up at her for a moment, before returning his gaze back to his reading material.

Andariel rubbed her thighs with the palms of her hands.

"Um... I've been having these nightmares... and, well... they've been causing me trouble with sleeping. I was wondering..." She started, but before she could finish her sentence, the old man interrupted with the raising of a hand.

He turned to look up at her again.

"I know. You wish to stop the nightmares." He lowered his hand, then closed his book and put it on the weathered coffee table in front of him.

"The truth of the matter is, there is a more dire situation behind the reason for your dreams than what you've previously been lead to believe." He told her quietly, but matter of factly.

Andariel frowned worriedly, looking him in the eyes, and wondering what more could possibly go wrong.

"You mean there could be something worse than manipulating magic and the minds of people, just to fulfill a fantasy of having a relationship with the sister of my mother?" Andariel was feeling confused, what a crock this was. Maybe Altrus didn't know what he was on about after all... maybe he was going senile.

Altrus looked very serious for a moment, before standing up and moving away slowly over to a dresser, opening up the top draw and searching around in clutter for who knows what.

Andariel crossed her arms over her chest, becoming impatient with this whole cherade. Maybe she made a mistake coming here...

Just as she was getting ready to begin arguing against whatever crazy idea this man had, he shuffled back over to her, holding what appeared to be a hazy green coloured diamond of some kind, an incense holder and a stick of incense. She could smell the strength of it before it had even been lit, it became even worse when he actually pulled out a match, striking it against the table and lighting it.

Andariel screwed up her nose. "What is that?" she asked. Altrus simply smiled back at her, before arranging the gem within arms reach of himself. He reached over and quickly plucked a single strand of hair from Andariel's head, eliciting a sharp "ow!" from the girl.

Rubbing her head, she mumbled under her breath as he took the hair and placed it on the burning end of the incense, causing the hair to burn and shrivel up. He closed his eyes and began muttering something incomprehensible under his breath, while making some strange hand movements over the gem.

Watching in slight confusion, Andariel's eyes suddenly grew larger as a cloud rose above the gem, eventually flattening out and beginning to project what appeared to be imagery of... Buffy and Willow?

She furrowed her eyebrows.

"Watch." Altrus stated quietly, as he motioned towards the unfolding event in front of them.

Andariel leaned forwards, trying to make sense of the hazy imagery floating before them. She squinted, but it didn't seem to help.

"I can't... it's too blurry." She stated, glancing at Altrus. The old man smiled at her.

"Patience." He replied, and they both turned back. Andariel watched as the images slowly came more into focus.

_They were crying. Buffy and Willow were both crying, Willow more openly, Buffy just had tears rolling down her cheeks. Her voice was shaky, but it was obvious she was trying to be strong for Willow._

_They were in a white room. No... they were in a hospital. A nurse kept apologizing to them, telling them she was so sorry for their loss._

Andariel lowered her eyebrows. What? What loss? What could have possibly happened?

_Dawn burst into the hospital room._

_"I came as soon as I could." Her eyes were red, and it was obvious she was on the verge of crying herself._

_"Dawn..." Willow looked at her pleadingly, and the two embraced each other, the tears flowing freely._

_"I can't believe it... why did this happen? It's not fair! First we lost Faith, and now this?" Dawn's voice was trembling. Buffy pulled at her hair, her face revealing extreme anger now. She stormed over to the window and put her fist through it._

_"This isn't fair! This isn't fucking fair! Why our baby? Why? What did we do to deserve losing OUR baby?" Buffy yelled, more tears rolling down her cheeks._

Andariel lifted her hand to her mouth. She couldn't find any words. Is this what's going to happen? Is she going to be unable to save herself and her family from pain and suffering?

The images started to flicker and fade, before a different scene emerged before her.

_Dawn was nursing her baby gingerly in her bed. The baby only looked a few days old. Dawn looked so happy and so content, stroking it's head tenderly and smiling._

_Willow was beside her, also smiling. Buffy was sitting on the edge of the bed. It was obvious she was troubled._

_"Dawnie... I'm sorry Faith couldn't be here. She would have been a great parent... you both would be, you know that right?" Buffy whispered to her sister quietly, without turning her head._

_Dawn's smile instantly dimmed down._

_"My love gave herself to save us. If it wasn't for her love and her sacrifice, none of us would be here today." Dawn replied quietly._

_"Dawnie... are you sure you want to do this?" Willow asked, stroking her back. Dawn nodded without looking up, simply planting a kiss to her baby's head._

_"She'll be safer with 2 parents. Safer with you and Buffy. I can't protect her by myself. It'll be hard always knowing she's my child... but that I'll never hear her call me mum..." Dawn's voice caught in her throat a bit._

_"Don't worry, she'll always be your child. Even if she knows us as her parents, in her heart, you'll always be her true mother." Buffy replied, now turning around to face her._

_Dawn nodded softly, a tear slipping down her cheek._

_"Are you ready?" Willow asked, looking at her tenderly._

_"Yeah, I'm ready." Dawn replied with a smile._

_Willow leaned over, gently mumbling some words under her breath, and moving her hand over the baby's body._

_Where the baby had had little strands of raven black hair, it now turned a fiery red, and her eyes became a bright blue. Dawn let out a little cry, mourning the loss of the last memory of Faith in her child._

_She rocked the baby gently as Willow finished._

_"I'll always love you, my sweet Andariel." she whispered, before planting a kiss to the baby's head, and handing her over to Willow._

The imagery subsided and slowly faded away, like a whisp of smoke drifting off in the wind.

Andariel sat, stone faced, her mouth hanging open slightly. She slowly turned her head to face Altrus, who was looking very solemn, his hands clasped loosely in his lap.

"Wh... what... I .. I don't...u-understand..." she barely managed to get the words out without choking on her own breath. He looked up at her tenderly.

"You must know, this is not the future, it is your past. Everything you thought you knew... it was for your protection. It was done out of love for you. I showed you this, because you must know, who you truly need to protect. That is why you have been having these nightmares. They are not for you to feel guilt, but for you to know the truth of who you need to save in the coming dark times." He explained to her very quietly, but seriously.

Andariel was still unable to make any sense of it all.

"But... Dawn... is my mother? How..." she still couldn't make full sentences. Altrus took a deep breath and placed a hand on her leg.

"Your mothers, Dawn and Faith, are the reason you're here. Not Buffy and Willow. Before you were born, Willow miscarried her child. Faith had sacrificed her life to destroy the Dark God that would have annihilated human kind. It is possibly the greatest sacrifice I know of. To protect you, Dawn gave you up to Willow and Buffy. With their strong teachings and protection, you would grow up to become the great warrior that you are. You are here to save Dawn and yourself." he replied.

Andariel pressed her elbows into her knees and covered her face with her hands, shaking her head slowly.

"This... this doesn't make any sense... I'm sorry..." she whispered under her breath. Altrus squeezed her thigh.

"I understand child, it may take some time for you to come to terms. If you like, I can make you a nice herbal tea?" He said to her, with a gentle smile.

Andariel looked accross at him slowly, before letting her lips turn up into a smile. She nodded.

"I would like that." she replied.

Buffy was downstairs, hitting the crap out of her favourite black punching bag. She swung hard and fast, landing 3 heavy punches, followed by 2 quick kicks to the side.

Willow watched from the side, sitting quietly on a wicker chair which had a cross-stitched pillow as it's cushion. She noticed the expression on her love's face, different to that of how it normally was. It was more stern, more like she had a serious vendetta against the punching bag at this moment in time. Her punches came harder and faster.

Buffy was foccusing everything into her hits. The sweat was pouring down her face and chest, her lungs burned and her muscles felt like they were on the edge of failure, but she kept going. She had to keep going...

Grunting loudly she elbowed the bag then kneed it at least 10 times before finally grabbing her stake out of her belt and slamming it hilt deep into the bag. She stood there, gasping for breath as the bag creaked, swinging back and forth on it's chain.

Willow noticed, and she got up and slowly came over to Buffy from behind. She placed her hands on her waist, feeling her tense slightly before she relaxed and inhaled deeply.

"What if it's not enough?" she asked without turning around. Willow frowned.

"Buffy? What do you mean?" she asked worriedly. Buffy closed her eyes for a moment, before turning around in her arms. Willow instantly saw the troubled expression on her face.

"What if all this..." Buffy motioned all around her. "What if all of us aren't enough? What if our efforts are futile? I know we've fought against impossible odds before, but this..." she looked solemnly at Willow, who returned her expression by frowning gently and cupping Buffy's cheek.

"Sweety... no matter what... you know we'll fight to the very end. Side by side. And then, when we win, and we'll all be together, we can sit by a campfire, and we'll all sing Kumbaya and eat roasted marshmallows... oh and don't forget all the celebratory sex." Willow told Buffy, finally managing to get a smile out of her girlfriend with her last sentence.

Buffy put one arm around Willow and pressed the other hand gently to her abdomen.

"Hmm, I sure wouldn't mind making a few more of these." Buffy grinned widely, eliciting a little giggle from Willow.

"I'm sure you wouldn't Miss Summers." Willow teased her girlfriend lightly, tugging gently at her shirt.

"I just wish there was a way to make sure we could protect our child. I know Andariel and Reeanus are here now, but I just can't help but have this strange feeling. A feeling of... loss..." Buffy's smile faded into a worried look. Willow pulled her close into a tight embrace.

"We're not going to lose anyone. I promise you." Willow reassured her. But at the same time, although she wouldn't admit it to her, she could sense exactly how worried Buffy was. And she felt exactly the same way.

They just had to be strong...

Faith cringed to herself. 'baby shirts, baby bibs, cute baby toys, baby car seats, baby blankets, baby baby baby...' that's all she could hear going through Dawn's head right now.

She was being dragged along through the huge baby section of the 4th store they'd been in so far today. Her feet were sore, she was thirsty, and all the strange stares people were giving her for holding hands with Dawn were starting to royally piss her off.

"Yeah we're two girls, what, you wanna watch?" She yelled to the next couple that stared too long at them. The older woman whispered to what was probably her husband, before they hurried off in the opposite direction.

"People would think they'd never seen two people hold hands before. Christ." she muttered to herself. Dawn stopped in her tracks, leaned up and pressed a kiss to Faith's lips.

"I love you, don't ever change." She said with a happy smile. Faith blushed furiously, unable to say anything. She just made some kind of pathetic noise and then smiled back at her girlfriend. Dawn grinned and continued perusing all the baby stuff.

Dawn picked up a little pacifier that had a little princess on the handle end of it and started making cutesy wootsy noises.

"Loooookkk aww baby it's so adorable! Wouldn't our baby look so cute with this?" She showed it to Faith triumphantly, and Faith raised an eyebrow in response.

"And what makes you so sure we're going to have a girl?" She asked. Dawn glared at her girlfriend.

"We're having a girl. I just know it. And you can't tell me otherwise!" she replied, pointing her finger for emphasis. Faith sighed, and before Dawn could remove it, she leaned forwards and took the younger girls finger between her lips, slowly sucking it from bottom to tip.

Dawn's mouth hung open slightly, and her cheeks went bright red. Faith grinned.

"You're right, I can't tell you otherwise." she replied cheekily, giving Dawn a smack on the arse, which elicited a high pitched yelp from her.

"You're impossible!" Dawn said, exasperated.

Faith picked up a little princess baby shirt with little lacy bits, and stars, with a matching tiara. She held it over her chest and striked a little pose.

"What do you think, does it match my eyes?" she asked with a grin. Dawn frowned and snatched the shirt from her hands. As she put it back on the rack, she glanced over at Faith.

"I prefer you in leather..." she said with a shrug of her shoulders. Faith growled lowly and wrapped her arms around Dawn from behind, nibbling gently on her neck. Dawn moaned quietly.

"I'll wear leather for you anytime..." Faith said seductively.

Dawn spun around in her arms, her cheeks rosy.

"Ok, well, I'm done here. I think we should head home now, yes? Yes." She nodded, and began dragging Faith along with her as they left the store.

'Score' Faith thought to herself with a wicked smile.

The training that night with Andariel and Reeanus had worn everyone down to the point of passing out. Andariel seemed to have had some kind of urgency in the way she forced Buffy and Faith, especially Faith, to keep going, and going, and going.

Buffy had gone to bed along with Willow, Dawn and Reeanus, leaving just Faith and Andariel. The red head had insisted she had a few moves she wanted to share with Faith.

As she did so, she was hard on her. She corrected even the smallest mis-step or mistake, getting the raven slayer to repeat the proccess over and over again until it was perfect. Faith was caught off guard as Andariel came towards her with a tempered steel longsword. In dodging it, Faith twisted her leg at an awkward angle and cried out in pain from a pulled muscle.

"Do you think a Dark God and their minions are going to make any mistakes? Do you think they're going to go easy on you when you're running on empty?" She raised her voice at Faith as she sat on the ground, hissing at the pain in her leg.

"Andariel, come on, we've been going at this all night. I can't give anymore, you're going to wear me down and then I won't be able to train for days!" Faith snapped back. Andariel knelt down beside her.

"You're a slayer, just like me. If I can do this then so can you. Pain is nothing, it's just something your brain tells you that you feel. Block it out!" Andariel told her sternly. Faith grimaced and forced herself to stand, even though her leg was burning with pain.

Andariel came at her again with the sword, lunging at her with it, missing her by millimetres. Faith turned to land a kick, but Andariel was too fast. She held the sword out as a shield against the kick, then swung it, opening up a wide cut on Faith's left arm.

Faith grasped at the open wound, and glaring up at Andariel with renewed strength, she moved forwards and grabbed the sword by the blade. She twisted it and caused Andariel to lose grip of it.

As it clattered to the ground, she brought her fist into Andariel's chin and her knee into her stomach. She then grabbed her by the back of the shirt and threw her to the ground.

Andariel coughed where she lay. Faith stalked around her like she was about to move in for the kill on her prey.

"Is that what you want?" Faith yelled at her. Andariel continued to cough, lifting herself up slowly, then pushing herself into a sitting position. She looked up at Faith and wiped the blood from her lip.

"What I want..." she started to stand up slowly, bringing herself face to face with the raven slayer. "Is for you to never give up. I... we can't lose you."

Faith lowered her eyes.

"What in the hell is that supposed to mean? I'm not the chosen one. That's Buffy's job. It always has been." She spat back at the red head.

Andariel looked frustrated. She wanted to tell her so badly. 'Faith you idiot, I'm your daughter, and I want a chance to know you like I never got to. And Dawn! If I lose you and her now, I'll never truly forgive myself.'

But the words didn't come out. She couldn't say anything. She couldn't bear to hurt Willow and Buffy like that. Maybe she could tell Faith, and maybe she wouldn't say anything... but she still couldn't form words.

Faith stared at her, expecting an answer.

Andariel looked at the ground for a moment, before finally running her fingers through her hair slowly. As she did, her fiery red hair dissappeared, and turned raven black.

Faith was confused as she watched her.

"Training is over for today. Go get some rest. I just... " Andariel shook her head, then turned and started to take the stairs upstairs.

"Andy!" Faith called out, then suddenly broke into a limpy jog, catching up to her.

"For what it's worth... I appreciate you." she said simply. Andariel nodded.

They went upstairs, then headed to their rooms for a well deserved sleep.

Note: Well that's another chapter knocked out. Seems to be coming along quite nicely. Also with the whole baby shopping thing, well... it had to be done. I mean come on, it's Dawn guys!  
Please review :3 I appreciate you all!


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, except for Andariel of course, she is my own:-) But all the characters from the show belong to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.

Feedback: Much appreciated. As always, email me at shadowpanthergmail..com.

Pairing: Buffy/Willow and also Dawn/Faith..

Warning: This story contains love scenes between two females, so if you're offended by female/female relationships or just plain don't want to read sex scenes, then I suggest you get the fudge out. :-)

Plot: Andariel has trouble dealing with the truth about her parents. She tells Faith but swears her to secrecy. Willow undertakes a magick training session with Reeanus.

A/N: This will hopefully be a shorter chapter than the previous ones. I'm planning on writing a "Christmas Special" in late November/early December for this fic. I also plan on working on some other stuff, and a horror fic I hope to get featured on creepypasta. So, enjoy :)!

* * *

The warmth in the bed was a stark contrast to the freezing temperature outside of the bedsheets as she stuck her foot out. Grunting and frowning forcefully, Faith pulled her leg back under, rolling over and wrapping her arms tightly around the smaller framed girl beside her.

Dawn made cute sleepy noises, trying to hold Faith's hand with her own, but her hand just quickly flopped back onto the matress. Faith smiled to herself.

She stroked Dawn's stomach tenderly. Perhaps she was imagining it, but she could swear it was starting to increase in size slightly with her pregnancy.

Yawning loudly, she let go of Dawn and rolled onto her back, stretching out her long lean body and groaning with satisfaction at the feeling it gave her. Her body was still aching from all the rigorous training she had endured this week. She didn't know if this was how Buffy always felt, but it was certainly unpleasant even at the best of times.

Resigning to the fact that she needed to get out of bed soon, she flung the blankets back on her side and sat up slowly. Yawning and stretching again, rolling her feet and wrists at the joints, she looked back at her girlfriend. As she stood she made sure she covered her up with the blankets again. The younger girl shuffled slightly and clung tighter to her pillow, making some incomprehensible noises.

Faith stripped off her clothing and made her way to the adjoining bathroom to shower.

She closed the door quietly and turned on the water. As it warmed up, she inspected herself in the mirror. Her arm still had a slight scar from where Andariel had wounded her just the other week. She sighed.

And here Faith was thinking she was the expert on swordplay.

Shaking her head, she stepped into the water.

* * *

Andariel was training in the backyard with Buffy, performing some advanced balance techniques on tall stacks of cinderblocks.

Faith walked outside and couldn't help but laugh at the sight she saw.

"B, you never told me you did yoga!" she laughed loudly at the blonde slayer, circling around the two to be met with a very displeased glare from Buffy. She exhaled from atop her platform, the air condensing into a thick white cloud as it exited her lips.

"I'm going to resist the urge to jump off this platform and plant one right on your kisser!" Buffy replied. Faith held her hands up defensively.

"Woah there B, I'm a taken lady!" She replied with a wide grin. Buffy scowled and let out a noise of frustration, as she did so, she began to lose her balance. Wobbling to and fro, she finally let out a yelp as she came tumbling down onto the grass, landing right on her behind.

Faith snickered and offered her a hand. Buffy took it with a frown, letting the raven slayer help her up.

"Are you two done squabbling?" Andariel asked, still atop her platform, eyeing off the two women with a tired expression on her face. Buffy pushed Faith with an arm. Faith pushed back. Andariel let out an exasperated sigh and jumped down from the cinderblocks.

"Mum, go take a break. Faith, I want 100 push-ups, pronto." Andariel scolded her with a stern look, then turning to Buffy with a nod, watching as she went inside to get something to eat.

Faith growled, but got down on the grass and began doing the push-ups, her muscles flexing and bulging as she did.

Andariel couldn't help it, she was Faith's daughter. She knew what she was capable of, because she herself could do it. She couldn't help but want to push her more than she should. Andariel frowned to herself and got back up on the cinderblocks, this time hands first.

Faith looked over, watching as Andariel performed a perfect handstand and remained balanced there, while alternating between using 1 and 2 hands.

"That's a pretty nice trick." Faith remarked, then concentrating back on her push-ups. Andariel glanced over at her.

"You could do it too, if you bothered to put the same amount of effort into training as you did your sense of humour." Andariel replied.

Faith stopped what she was doing, rolling onto her side.

"What, the fuck. How the hell would you know what kind of effort I put into training? I BUST my ass everyday , just to be strong enough to keep up with Buffy." Faith snapped back. Andariel silently cursed herself.

She lowered herself down until she was sitting on the bricks. "I don't want you to be like Buffy, I just want you to show me what YOU can be." she replied. Faith started to stand.

"This isn't about me, Andy. This is about BUFFY, and WILLOW, and YOU. These Dark Gods aren't even after me, but I'm HERE. I'm here because this..." Faith motioned around herself. "This is the only family I know. And I would give anything to protect it."

Andariel stood now, coming over to face Faith directly.

"Then what are you so afraid of? Why are you holding back?" she asked Faith, looking her right in the eyes. She saw something there, a flicker, a falter...

"I don't... hold back." Faith said as calmly as she could.

"Is it because you're afraid of losing yourself again?" Andariel pressed. Faith took a step back. She went to speak but her breath hitched in her throat. Finally she shook her head and curled her lip up in the corner.

"You know what, forget this. I'm out of here." She said, quietly, but with a lof of hurt feelings in her voice.

Andariel closed her eyes momentarily as Faith stormed off. Why did this have to be so difficult? It ached inside of her so badly. It was constantly on the tip of her tongue. She could just let her mouth burst open and scream to her that she was her daughter, and that this wasn't about Buffy or Willow. Yes they were a part of it, but she was here for Faith and Dawn.

It was tearing her up inside, and it was throwing her off guard. Every waking minute was spent thinking about it, about everything she knew and how it had been a lie. To protect her, but a lie nonetheless. It was distracting her from the task of getting into the best shape she could, and sharing as many skills as she could with her fellow slayers.

She sighed to herself as Buffy re-emerged from the house, chomping down a cereal bar with Willow, Reeanus and Dawn in tow.

"Where'd Faith go?" Buffy asked with a mouthful of food. Andariel turned to them and smiled weakly.

"She's uh, gone to get some fresh air, have a break." she replied as confidently as she could. She couldn't afford to have the others realize anything was wrong. She didn't want any of them to doubt Faith.

Buffy rolled her eyes. "What a slacker." she said.

"I hope she's ok." Dawn said with a worried expression on her face. Andariel looked at her kindly.

"She's fine, heck she's a slayer. She can take care of herself." Andariel reassured her.

There was a short silence before Reeanus intervened.

"Alright so, I'm going to take Willow up into the attic for some Magicky fun times. I might take Dawn with me too, hey it couldn't hurt to learn a little bit." Reeanus smiled as she looked at the younger girl instantly light up, looking excited.

"I'd love that!" Dawn replied, which illicted a laugh from both Willow and Reeanus.

"Come on then, kiddo, lets go do some ooky spooky stuff!" Willow told her, making some creepy movements with her hands, only making Dawn laugh more.

"Just be careful." Andariel warned Reeanus, who looked over at her and nodded, before leading Willow and Dawn inside.

Buffy stood by Andariel, looking quite stern for a moment before she spoke.

"Is Faith really ok?" she asked her, very matter of factly. Andariel looked at her carefully, before nodding.

"Yeah, she's fine. I think we've all just got a lot on our minds lately. I don't blame her." Andariel said solemnly, lowering her head a little. Buffy stepped forward and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey. It's ok. We've got all the firepower we need right here. We're going to beat this thing. No matter what it takes." Buffy told her reassuringly with a small smile. Andariel smiled back.

"I hope you're right. I really do..." she replied.

* * *

Faith kicked up dirt and stones as she walked through the park on the way to her destination. What a load of crap! She thought to herself. There was no need for Andariel to treat her the way she was. Like she was some kind of risk or handicap that had to be paid extra special attention to.

"My ass." she said under her breath, pulling her coat closer around her neck. What was this shit about holding back anyway? Afraid of losing herself?

Faith slowed her footsteps a little more.

Was she afraid of losing herself again? She glanced to the side and watched a happy family, a man pushing his daughter on the swingset while the child yelled out "Look mummy! Look how high I can go!" to her mother who was sitting accross from her on a park bench, watching.

She smiled to herself for a brief moment, before continuing on her way.

Should she be afraid of losing herself? She had a beautiful girlfriend, a baby on the way. She had Buffy... god forbid how that woman got on her nerves... but she was like that awesomely annoying older sister she always wanted. Willow, the sweet naive little witch, who was always able to make anyone smile. Even in the most dire of times.

Her past still haunted her to this day, always in the back of her mind. She still felt so much guilt for everything she had put everyone through back then. But back then... she had been so much stronger. She didn't hold back, simply for the fact that she wasn't afraid of hurting anyone... partly because she didn't care. But now, would being that stronger person from the past mean that she was also that bad person from the past?

She grimaced and turned into the alleyway, trying to push away the thoughts. She stepped down the staircase and pushed open the bar door.

Pushing past the uncaring patrons, too busy with their drinks, she made her way over to the bar stools and put a hand on her friend's shoulder. He turned slowly to face her.

"Faith! Back so soon?" Dorian asked, a huge grin breaking accross his face. Faith smiled lightly.

"Surprised to see me?" she asked, holding her arms out in all of the glory that was herself. He laughed.

"Faith, you are a surprise within a surprise." He replied.

"What can I say? I'm just a bullet in a box, all you gotta do is load me into the gun." She lifted up an eyebrow in mock flirtation. He guffawed at this.

"Sorry Faith you're not my type, I prefer my ladies with green skin and a nice set of gills. So, what can I do ya' for?" He asked, taking a large swig from his pint of beer. Faith motioned with her head for them to find a more private seating arrangement.

Dorian got up and they moved over into a dimly lit corner with a small table and 3 chairs, sitting accross from each other.

"Listen. You know... I'm cleaned up. But... do you think it's possible that... I dunno. Sometimes I feel like I have this darkness inside of me, and I just can't shake it. I feel like it's holding me back." She started sullenly, looking to Dorian for some kind of answer or advice.

Dorian leant forwards a little, looking Faith in the eyes.

"Listen, Faith. EVERYONE has darkness inside of them. And I mean everyone. Even that neighbour that goes to church every sunday and acts all goody two shoes, they're the first person to judge you when you're a week late in mowing your lawn. It's something that's a part of us all. Now GOODNESS. That's a whole other kettle of fish. Not everyone has goodness, I know that much." He told her, very simply yet sternly.

She looked to ponder over this for a moment, before replying.

"Do you think... I have goodness in me?" She asked tentatively. The thorny demon tilted his head for a moment before guffawing loud enough to burst her ear drums.

"Are you kidding me? I know 12 year olds that have less goodness in them than you. Little shits kicking my trash can over..." He grumbled at the last part. After waving his hand to dismiss the thought "You're a good egg Faith. Yeah you fucked up in the past. Who doesn't? You paid the price for your fuck ups, and I can clearly see that you're doing something good with your life now. Which I can hardly say about some of the slugs in this joint."

Faith let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. And then Dorian reached accross the table and put his hand over hers. She looked bashfully into his eyes. They seemed to shine.

"I may be a demon, but I still have a heart. And I care a lot for you, and whatever it is you believe in." He told her, very heartfully. Faith smiled a little and her cheeks blushed profusely.

"Dor... you sure know how to treat a girl." She teased him lightly. He grinned.

"Don't have much else to do with my spare time these days, why not make something of my socializing skills? Being human does seem to be the 'in thing' these days eh?" he replied and leant back in his chair, stretching out. Faith laughed.

"Thanks man, I really needed this chat." She told him thankfully.

"Any time Faith, you know where to find me." He replied casually. "So, tell me about this new little lady in your life?"

Faith grinned broadly.

* * *

Reeanus finished lighting the last of the candles in the attic, as Willow and Dawn sat next to each other in the centre of the the floor, surrounded by a circle of salt. There was all manner of candle colours. Blue, red, white and black. Willow looked around at them all.

"Uh, I don't mean to sound like I don't know what I'm talking about but... is there a reason for all the different candles? I mean I've read a lot of texts that say that the colour of the candles doesn't really matter, that's it's more about the protection spells you use and what you're summoning." Willow asked tentatively.

Reeanus looked over at her from where she was flicking through an old, green book she had managed to convince Giles to let her borrow the other day.

"It's true to an extent. But, well you know all about auras, and how the different colour auras you see around people basically tell you what kind of person they are. It's the same idea with the coloured candles. Whether they protect you or not, it's more about surrounding yourself with all the auras and elements, to keep a balance and not throw it out." She concentrated on a particular paragraph as she walked over, her finger on the page.

"It helps keep you more centered while you're training yourself, kind of like how when you dive into the ocean, you're connected to the boat by a tether. It's like your only connection to the real world that could save you if you get lost or harmed." she finished, quickly plonking herself down on the ground facing Dawn and Willow.

Willow smiled. "Oh, well. I guess that makes a lot of sense. The... training I got some years ago... after my um... incident... was more about controlling my powers and not letting myself go to the dark side at all."

Reeanus smiled back at her.

"Well all that stuff you learned?" She waited for Willow to nod in reply before continuing. She slammed the book shut and then pointed harshly at her mother. "I want you to forget it all. It's crap. You CAN control the dark magicks, that's what I'm here to show you."

Reeanus stood, closing her eyes as Willow and Dawn watched. She could see her daughter's lips moving, but couldn't hear anything. The ground started to slowly vibrate underneath them, shards of salt bouncing and bubbling along the floor, distorting the image of the circle surrounding them.

The candles started flickering and flaring up, making the whole room seem as if it was going to set alight and burn to a cinder. Dawn moved closer to Willow and grasped her arm tightly, her eyes glazing over slightly in fear. Willow looked at her with a slightly worried expression, but nonetheless put a hand on Dawn's, calming her.

The floor started vibrating harder now, shaking. Bits of loose material and objects were shuddering now and began dancing their way to the edges of boxes, clashing to the ground. It felt as if they were in a terrible earthquake, and the fear between Dawn and Willow was growing more and more by the second.

Static electricity started flowing through their veins, they could feel it filling the room. Tiny little bolts of electricity sparked from Reeanus's fingertips, and her skin seemed to have a glow to it.

Suddenly, she snapped open her eyes, her mouth opening slightly as she did so. Her eyes were pitch black, darker than the sky at night on the horizon over the ocean as you stand at the end of a pier, deeper than the deepest chasm.

"Rea..." Willow whispered quietly under her breath.

Reeanus started turning quickly, aiming at all the candles, one by one distinguishing them with nothing but the point of a finger. As the room grew darker and darker, the ground still vibrating, Dawn whispered Willow's named quietly, holding onto her tighter.

The room fell into darkness. Full of silence, not even a breath could be heard, the ground had completely stilled.

Then, in a blaze of light, every candle erupted into flames with a deafening roar. The room was enveloped in flames, licking at every single piece of woodwork, wallpaper and flammable object.

'This is it' Willow thought, they were all going to die to a crazed witch, who thought she could control something that no one could. She closed her eyes and waited for the flames to take them all... but it never did.

Slowly she opened her eyes. The candles were still lit brightly with flames about a foot tall, but the room was no longer engulfed, and there seemed to be no sign of any burn marks or smoke or anything, anywhere.

Willow slowly looked up at Reeanus, the confusion and worry on her face evident. Reeanus smiled down at her and extended her hand.

"You can control it, just as I can. You just have to put your faith in yourself... and in me." her daughter told her reassuringly, the blackness in her eyes wasn't as dark now. It was as if there was black smoke drifting over her bright eyes, she could actually see her soul now.

Willow bit her lower lip tentatively and reached out her hand to take Reeanus's. Dawn was still holding tightly onto her arm, and pulled her back as she did. Willow turned to the younger girl, the panic on her face evident.

"Wills..." Dawn breathed. Willow reached out a hand and smoothed Dawn's hair back from her forehead.

"It's ok Dawnie... " she told her quietly, smiling at her until Dawn eventually loosened her grip.

Willow turned back to Reeanus, and gingerly took her hand.

* * *

Buffy was throwing hard hits at Andariel, swinging and spinning, lashing out at her hard and fast. Andariel came back at her just as hard, and just as fast. They matched punches, matched dodges, somersaulting out of the way of kicks and coming back just as quickly to have their own hits land in air.

Finally, when it seemed the battle was evenly matched, and was running in an infinite loop, Andariel landed a blow in Buffy's side as she was recovering from a sidestep, followed by a kick behind the knees which sent her falling to the ground.

Andariel grinned down at her triumphantly, her breathing laboured, as was Buffy's.

"Nice, at least you don't kick 'em while they're down." Buffy nodded her head in appreciation of Andariel's skills.

Andariel reached down and grabbed a hold of Buffy's forearm, tugging her up.

"Thanks." Buffy said greatfully. Andariel nodded. They were drenched in sweat, and had basically exhausted all their energy for the time being.

They went over to the bench and sat, taking long swigs of water from their bottles.

"If only Faith had been here to see me kick your ass, she would have been mighty pleased." Andariel teased the blonde slayer lightly. Buffy rolled her eyes.

"Right. You know I'm still kind of peeved that she wasn't here for training in the first place. I vote you go find her and personally kick her arse for me." Buffy retorted, drinking more of her water. Andariel shrugged.

"I can go find her if you like, dunno that it will do much good. She's stubborn as a mule." Andariel replied wanly. Buffy sighed.

"Right, I forgot that part. Still, why should I have to work my arse off and she gets off scott free? Besides, I'm your mother, I should be the one kicking you into shape not the other way around. In fact, I should demand that you let me take a break." Buffy started to raise her voice to prove her point, and gave Andariel a little nod as well.

Andariel cringed inwardly. This was getting to be too much.

"You're right, you know what, you take a break. I'll go see if I can track down Faith and bring her back." she told the blonde slayer, standing up slowly and stretching out her sore back muscles.

"Sounds good to me. I should probably put some dinner on anyway, Willow the Devourer of Worlds will probably be getting hungry soon." Buffy replied dramatically, also standing up and starting her way up the stairs. Andariel smiled.

Time to go find her mother.

* * *

Faith was on her way back from the bar, after her long talk with Dorian. It was good to finally talk to someone who no matter what, wouldn't judge her.

She started cutting through the cemetary, deciding it would be a good idea, just to keep her eye out for any trouble makers that might need taking care of. It seemed pretty quiet though, and she wasn't sure whether that should please her or dissappoint her.

She stopped suddenly in her tracks. Something felt... off. She lowered her eyes a little.

"Have you cooled your head off yet?" came the familiar voice, belonging to Andariel. Faith laughed quietly under her voice, turning her head slightly but not turning around completely.

"So what is this, some new game? Persecute Faith?" she asked sarcastically. Andariel stared into the back of Faith's head, trying to feel whatever it was that she was feeling.

"I'm not trying to persecute you. You're endangering yourself, and our family by being out here by yourself. And..." Andariel stopped and let the scent from Faith's clothes hit her nostrils. "Spending more time hanging out with demons it seems. Something you're not telling me?"

Faith snapped around and suddenly stormed over to where Andariel was leaning casually against a large Willow tree, pointing her finger with anger into her face.

"Don't you patronize me! You're the one that sent me there in the first place for your information. If it wasn't for ME you wouldn't have been able to even summon your sister here. So I think I deserve a thank you, and a LITTLE bit of respect!" Faith shouted into her face, her eyes ablaze with anger.

Andariel leant off the tree, closer to the angry slayer.

"I am thankful, Faith. I'm thankful, and greatful. And I do respect you... but you can't just expect to keep that respect when you're doing nothing to show me the great slayer that you are. The great slayer I've heard about in stories and in writing." Andariel snapped back at her, but with deep meaning in her voice.

Faith took a few steps back, suddenly ripping open her leather jacket and throwing it to the ground.

"You want me to show you the slayer that I am? You want to see the old me, is that it?" Faith demanded. Andariel started to slowly unbutton her overcoat.

"I don't want you to show me the old you, I want you to show me the REAL you. I don't want you to hold back anymore. You're not going to fall into a pit of despair and hatred just by harnessing everything you have inside of you!" Andariel spat out at her, unbuttoning the last button on her coat and letting it slip to the ground.

"And what would you know of hatred and despair?" Faith spat back at her, prowling from side to side, waiting for the fight, begging for it.

"It's ALL I EVER knew!" Andariel growled, and with that she lunged at the raven slayer.

She clipped her jaw on the left side, throwing the slayer into a tombstone, old dust and bits of cement flying everywhere.

Faith cringed, lifting a finger to her cheek to feel the warm blood there. Looking at it she smiled animalistically, suddenly lunging up at Andariel. She threw 2 punches, not quickly enough for Andariel to be hit, but throwing her off guard enough that Faith was able to spin and land a kick in her abdomen.

Andariel flew back and landed against the same tree she had just been leaning against.

She coughed deeply and held a hand to her stomach, only for long enough to wait for Faith to throw a knee her way which she quickly dodged by rolling sideways, causing the raven slayer's knee to collide with the hard tree trunk.

Growling in anger, Faith came at her again.

They threw punches at each other, every so often, one of them would land a hit. They grabbed at clothing, throwing each other against tombstones, against rocks and trees, into the ground.

Their clothing was torn, becoming stained with dark patches of blood and dirt and grass. Andariel furiously went at Faith, kicking her in the back of the thighs, causing Faith to falter and fall to one knee.

As Andariel was about to throw a "game over" punch to finish the fight and show Faith who was in charge, the raven slayer quickly reached forwards. She grabbed Andariel around the hips and tackled her against the hard ground, causing Andariel's head to hit a rock and break the skin. She cried out as she felt a small stream of warm blood begin to trickle down the back of her head and neck.

Faith straddled her and held a hand to her throat, tightly enough to stop her from getting up, but loosely enough that she could still breathe.

"What is your problem? Why are you reducing me to this? Are you trying to push me to the brink and turn me into some kind of monster? ANSWER ME!" Faith yelled to her face, her eyes were red and sore, and it appeared as if she was on the brink of crying.

Andariel coughed a few times, breathing in quickly and wincing at the pain running through her body.

"Because... I KNOW you can be a stronger warrior than me, I want to bring it out of you! I don't want you to let fear hold you back..." Andariel started, a tear starting to slip from the corner of her right eye. Faith watched her, loosening her grip a little more, but still seething with anger.

"How do you know I can be that? How could you POSSIBLY know?" the raven slayer demanded, her voice shaking.

Andariel took another deep breath and wrapped a hand around the hand that was around her neck.

"Because..." she squeezed it a little. "Because... you are my mother."

Faith's eyes wavered, and she pulled her hand away from Andariel.

"W...what?" she asked, her voice riddled with shock.

Andariel closed her eyes and rolled her head to the side.

"I only just found out the other week." she slowly opened her eyes, then looking at Faith who rolled off her and onto her back next to her.

"The contact you got for me. I... I went to him for help with nightmares... he showed me..." Andariel shook her head and cringed. Faith let out an exasperated breath, her mouth twisted into some kind of smile.

"My whole life was a lie, Faith. I never knew you... I never knew you and Dawn were my parents. I... I can't lose that now. Don't you understand?" Andariel slowly looked accross at Faith, who was just staring up at the darkened sky above her.

"Does anyone else know?" Faith asked quietly, before turning to face Andariel. She shook her head.

"And please... you can't tell anyone else. This whole mess... I couldn't stand to hurt anyone else. Buffy and Willow... they wouldn't be able to handle it." Andariel told her quietly, more tears starting to emerge from her eyes. Faith swallowed.

So this was why she'd been pushing her. She knew Faith could be stronger, faster, better than what she was. Andariel was their child...

Faith sat up, pondering over her thoughts for a moment.

"Faith?" Andariel asked quietly, sitting up slowly herself, trying to ignore the pain it caused her.

Faith shook her head slowly.

"I never thought I'd see the day where I'd literally be staring parenthood in the eye." Faith laughed quietly, giving Andariel a sideways glance, before looking back down at the ground and plucking at the grass.

Andariel smiled slightly, unsure of what to say.

Faith stood up slowly, dusting off her pants. She looked down at Andariel.

"I'm sorry, about everything." She told her sympathetically, noticing that Andariel was having trouble getting up. She kneeled down and wrapped one of her arms around her shoulder, lifting her up onto her two feet.

Andariel shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed you. It was wrong of me..." she spoke back apologetically, but was interrupted as the raven slayer suddenly threw her arms around her. It took a few moments for Andariel to realize she was being hugged, and once she did, she slowly put her arms around Faith in return. The hug was almost crushing.

When Faith finally let her go, she had tears in her eyes. Andariel reached up and slowly wiped them away.

"You're my mother. I can't lose you or Dawn. I won't let that future come to fruition." Andariel told her firmly, to which Faith nodded in reply.

"You won't lose either of us. I'm gonna train harder than ever, just you watch. Nothing is going to happen to Dawn or YOU." Faith told her sternly with a smile. She reached over and wiped a smudge of blood from Andariel's cheek.

"Come on, let's get home. We'll have to make up some excuse for our conditions." Andariel said as they started to walk slowly through the cemetary.

"I dunno about you, but I always look like this." Faith grinned cheekily. Andariel laughed.

"Right, let me guess, all those bar fights?" Andariel asked.

"Bar fights, jealous lovers, falling asleep in gutters, beating up my daughter." Faith shrugged her shoulders, her eyes glinting with humour.

This time, they both laughed.

Oh, they were going to have fun explaining this to everyone at home.

**Note: Maybe not as short of a chapter as I expected, but hey, whatever works! I hope you enjoyed the attic scene, and the fight scene between Andy and Faith. It's been a long time coming, and I wanted it to be awesome. I just hope I managed to get that through! :)**


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